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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. cap — a lid
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. fall — the season
  5. present — there
  6. fall — to drop
  7. cue — for pool
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rock — a stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. present — the time now
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cap — a hat
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cue — a hint
  17. present — a gift
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. cue — a signal
  20. fall — to drop
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. ruler — a monarch

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