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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 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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  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. temple — a place of worship
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. season — of the year
  7. branch — a division
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. kick — in football
  10. toast — bread
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. season — in sport
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. kick — with a leg
  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