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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bank — for money
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. wax — to grow
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. charge — in control
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. bank — of a river
  12. charge — a price
  13. mark — a grade
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. charge — electricity
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bank — for money
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. bark — to shout
  24. fan — a supporter

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