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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. present — there
  3. chest — of your body
  4. present — the time now
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. can — a tin
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. rest — what's left
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. present — a gift
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. chest — of your body
  16. rest — a break
  17. chest — a box
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bark — to shout

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