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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.

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: bat · safe · arm · can · rock · mate · straw · bulb

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. can — a tin
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. mate — a friend
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bulb — for light
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. rock — music
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — the animal
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. rock — a stone
  23. mate — a partner
  24. arm — a part of something

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