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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. key — in music
  5. row — a line
  6. row — to paddle
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — the most important part
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. tube — the underground
  16. key — for a lock
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. tube — a container
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bulb — for light
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. bulb — for light

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