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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: wax · safe · object · bound · band · drill · arm · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. band — a ring
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wax — to grow
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bound — tied together
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. object — an aim
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. object — a thing
  16. bound — obliged
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. band — a music group
  20. bound — certain
  21. drill — army training
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. drill — the tool
  24. object — to protest

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com