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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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. tube — a container
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. root — the cause
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. last — to go on
  10. root — of a word
  11. root — of a plant
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. last — finally
  15. last — final
  16. kick — in football
  17. saw — the tool
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. saw — the tool

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