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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. deal — to handle
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. court — for sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. court — of law
  8. tear — from crying
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. tear — from crying
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fine — high quality
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fine — all right
  20. court — of a king
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. snap — to click
  23. tear — to rip
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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