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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 116 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: straw · track · craft · snap · safe · squash · pass · patient

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. track — a path
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. squash — to crush
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. pass — a permit
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. track — to keep track
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. craft — a skill
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. track — a song
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. squash — the sport

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