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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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. chip — for betting
  4. season — of the year
  5. key — in music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rush — hurry
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. key — for a lock
  21. chip — to eat
  22. key — the most important part
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. season — in sport

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