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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 120 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: mouse · pitch · straw · rock · safe · kid · bear · snap

  1. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kid — child
  8. bear — the animal
  9. pitch — completely
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. kid — to tease
  19. rock — music
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. snap — to click

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