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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 120 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. cap — of ice
  6. pop — soda
  7. staff — employees
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. pop — to visit
  11. bore — to tire
  12. pass — a permit
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. scale — size or range
  16. staff — employees
  17. cap — a hat
  18. cap — a lid
  19. scale — in music
  20. bore — to drill
  21. pop — music
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. staff — a stick
  24. straw — a straw man

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