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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. shower — to wash
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. wind — moving air
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. board — a committee
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. rule — a law
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. rule — government
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — to get on
  20. shower — rain
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bear — the animal
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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