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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mug — to rob
  3. court — of law
  4. bore — to tire
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bore — to drill
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. court — of a king
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. mug — a cup
  16. court — for sport
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mug — a face

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