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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. scale — size or range
  3. spell — magic
  4. mate — a partner
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. root — the cause
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. scale — in music
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. root — of a plant
  15. charge — in control
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. spell — letters
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. charge — electricity
  20. spell — a short time
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. charge — a price
  23. mate — a friend
  24. bowl — a dish

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