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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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 — dry grass
  3. rest — what's left
  4. object — an aim
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. object — to protest
  10. object — a thing
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. rest — what's left
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. capital — a city
  24. capital — money

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