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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 116 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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. ground — crushed
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rule — a law
  5. rest — a break
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — a cup
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mug — a face
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rest — what's left
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. ground — a position
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rule — government
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. straw — dry grass

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