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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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. row — a line
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — in a road
  9. firm — a company
  10. current — happening now
  11. current — of water
  12. wake — a trail
  13. fine — all right
  14. row — to paddle
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. firm — decided
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. firm — steady
  22. current — electric
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — the bottom

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