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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. clip — for paper
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. clip — to cut
  7. rest — what's left
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. drill — army training
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. clip — a video
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. drill — a practice
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. drill — the tool
  23. stock — goods
  24. stock — shares

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