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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. file — a tool
  5. object — a thing
  6. bore — to drill
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. chip — to eat
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. file — a document
  11. bore — to tire
  12. band — a music group
  13. object — an aim
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. toast — bread
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. object — to protest
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. band — a ring
  24. file — a line of people

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