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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. press — newspapers
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. lean — thin
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. press — a publisher
  17. press — to push
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lean — to bend
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. vault — a safe
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. prune — to trim

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