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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. object — an aim
  3. ball — a great time
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. net — for catching
  9. object — a thing
  10. ball — a dance
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. net — after costs
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. net — in sport
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. root — of a word
  17. plane — a tool
  18. object — to protest

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