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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. face — part of the head
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. cold — not warm
  8. pass — a permit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. face — to point toward
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to confront
  13. chip — for betting
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. season — in sport
  16. pit — in a race
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. cold — an illness
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pit — a hole
  24. cold — the Cold War

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