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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 120 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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. hand — help
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bass — low music
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. hand — in cards
  15. stem — to come from
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. bass — the fish
  24. calf — of the leg

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