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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: straw · mug · track · drill · vault · saw · court · present

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. saw — the tool
  3. vault — a safe
  4. drill — a practice
  5. track — a song
  6. present — the time now
  7. drill — the tool
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. mug — to rob
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. drill — army training
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. track — to keep track
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. mug — a face
  21. court — for sport
  22. mug — a cup
  23. saw — the tool
  24. track — a path

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