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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. club — a group
  3. rule — a law
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rule — government
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. plane — a tool
  10. land — ground
  11. track — a path
  12. land — a country
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. land — to come down
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. track — a song
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. club — for golf
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. track — to keep track
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. club — for dancing

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