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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. track — a song
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bank — for money
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. wound — an injury
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. wound — an injury
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. scale — size or range
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. track — to keep track
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. scale — in music
  23. kick — in football
  24. track — a path

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