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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. object — an aim
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. object — a thing
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cue — a signal
  11. deal — to handle
  12. cue — a hint
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. rock — music
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cue — for pool
  22. object — to protest
  23. rock — a stone
  24. dip — to sink

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