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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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. plane — a tool
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. chip — to eat
  5. drill — a practice
  6. object — to protest
  7. drill — army training
  8. chip — for betting
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. race — the arms race
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. object — a thing
  19. race — humankind
  20. object — an aim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. drill — the tool
  24. race — a contest

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