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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. land — to come down
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. saw — the tool
  13. land — a country
  14. row — a line
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. foot — a measure
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. land — ground
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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