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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 124 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. last — finally
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. club — for dancing
  8. suit — to fit
  9. club — a group
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. ground — crushed
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ground — the earth
  18. suit — clothes
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. last — to go on
  21. club — for golf
  22. ground — a position
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. last — final

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