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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mate — to breed
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. cue — a hint
  7. tube — the underground
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. net — after costs
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. cue — for pool
  13. tube — a container
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cue — a signal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. net — in sport
  20. mate — a partner
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. net — for catching
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. suit — in cards

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