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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — size or range
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. board — to get on
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fine — all right
  21. board — a committee
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. date — the fruit
  24. scale — in music

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