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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. toast — bread
  3. roll — a list
  4. craft — boats
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. suit — clothes
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. suit — to fit
  11. roll — a cake
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. craft — a skill
  14. march — music
  15. suit — in cards
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. march — the month
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — for catching
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. march — the month
  24. net — after costs

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