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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. track — to keep track
  3. kick — in football
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. press — to push
  7. clip — a video
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. clip — to cut
  12. track — a path
  13. press — a publisher
  14. press — newspapers
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. track — a song
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. clip — for paper
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. mouse — for a computer

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