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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. cue — a hint
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. stock — shares
  9. club — for dancing
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. club — for golf
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stock — goods
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. chair — a leader
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. cue — a signal
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. club — a group
  22. stem — to come from
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stock — a soup base

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