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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stand — to bear
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. swing — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. swing — in golf
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. club — a group
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. swing — to play on
  15. club — for dancing
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. club — for golf

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