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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. craft — boats
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. squash — the sport
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bore — to drill
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. bore — to tire
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bulb — for light
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — to crush
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. branch — a division
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pass — to succeed

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