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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. charge — a price
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spell — magic
  6. charge — electricity
  7. spell — a short time
  8. charge — in control
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. content — happy
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. content — the amount
  20. spell — letters
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. fork — to eat with

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