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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've got to change the light ________________.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bulb — for light
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. capital — money
  9. toast — bread
  10. chair — a leader
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bulb — for light
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. bass — the fish
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. capital — a city
  24. bass — low music

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