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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.

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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: kid · straw · track · mouse · foot · can · toast · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. kid — child
  4. can — a tin
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. saw — the tool
  11. track — a song
  12. toast — bread
  13. can — a tin
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. track — to keep track
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. track — a path
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. can — to be able to
  22. kid — to tease
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mouse — the animal

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