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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 120 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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pound — a weight
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. wind — moving air
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. kick — in football
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. lean — thin
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lean — to bend
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. plane — a tool
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. straw — dry grass

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