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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. spell — a short time
  3. lean — thin
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mate — a partner
  8. cue — a hint
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lean — to bend
  15. rush — hurry
  16. spell — magic
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. spell — letters

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