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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. content — the amount
  4. content — happy
  5. cue — for pool
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. race — humankind
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. firm — decided
  11. firm — steady
  12. suit — in cards
  13. race — a contest
  14. stock — shares
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — goods
  18. suit — clothes
  19. spell — letters
  20. suit — to fit
  21. cue — a hint
  22. firm — a company
  23. cue — a signal
  24. race — the arms race

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