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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rash — hasty
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. object — to protest
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. track — to keep track
  9. object — an aim
  10. swing — in golf
  11. can — a tin
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. swing — to play on
  15. face — to point toward
  16. face — part of the head
  17. track — a song
  18. swing — music
  19. can — to be able to
  20. can — a tin
  21. object — a thing
  22. track — a path
  23. face — to confront
  24. rash — a series

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