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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. cell — in biology
  4. track — a path
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. root — the cause
  7. bore — to drill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. rest — what's left
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bore — to tire
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bark — to shout
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rest — a break
  18. root — of a word
  19. track — to keep track
  20. track — a song
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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