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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. row — a line
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. land — ground
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. land — to come down
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. firm — a company
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. land — a country
  17. scale — in music
  18. stand — to bear
  19. row — to paddle
  20. firm — decided
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. pass — a permit
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. firm — steady

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