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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. track — a path
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. track — a song
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. track — to keep track
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. game — a match
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. lie — to recline
  17. pass — a permit
  18. game — wild animals

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