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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — hurry
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. spring — of water
  13. stand — to bear
  14. spring — the season
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. wind — moving air
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stem — to come from

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