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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. march — music
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — a law
  6. march — the month
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bound — tied together
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a committee
  11. kick — in football
  12. bound — certain
  13. rule — government
  14. object — an aim
  15. bound — obliged
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. march — the month
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. straw — dry grass

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