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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. key — the most important part
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rest — what's left
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. mate — a friend
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. key — for a lock
  16. mate — to breed
  17. mate — a partner
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rest — a break
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. rest — what's left
  22. key — in music
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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