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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 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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fine — high quality
  3. present — the time now
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. fine — all right
  6. cue — a hint
  7. cue — for pool
  8. cue — a signal
  9. present — a gift
  10. mug — a face
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. mug — to rob
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mug — a cup
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. present — there
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. straw — a straw man

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