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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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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: fine · straw · mouse · bear · mate · pound · present · stick

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. pound — a weight
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. present — the time now
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. present — there
  15. mate — to breed
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bear — the animal
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. present — a gift
  22. mate — a partner
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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