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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. object — an aim
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. drill — army training
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cue — a signal
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. drill — the tool
  11. object — a thing
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cue — for pool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. drill — a practice
  18. object — to protest
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. rock — music
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. wave — of the sea

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