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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. face — to point toward
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. face — part of the head
  7. dip — to sink
  8. face — to confront
  9. pound — a weight
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. fine — high quality
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. leaves — to go away

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