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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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. chip — for betting
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. cue — a hint
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. cue — for pool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. cue — a signal
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pass — a permit
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. dip — to sink
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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