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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rock — music
  6. rest — a break
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — what's left
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. chip — to eat
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. squash — the sport
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. toast — bread
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. squash — to crush
  24. chip — in a computer

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