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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. degree — an amount
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mark — a trace
  7. track — a path
  8. bulb — for light
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. track — a song
  11. degree — from a university
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bank — for money
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bank — of a river
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bank — for money
  20. degree — temperature
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. lash — to lash out

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