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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 124 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. prune — to trim
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wind — moving air
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wind — moving air
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rule — a law
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. prune — to trim

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