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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 120 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.

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

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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: mouse · bear · deal · saw · nail · rest · content · straw

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. rest — what's left
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. saw — the tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. deal — to handle
  19. content — the amount
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. content — happy
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rest — a break

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