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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. band — a ring
  3. spell — a short time
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. key — in music
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. suit — clothes
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — to fit
  12. spell — magic
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. spell — letters
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. key — for a lock
  19. band — a music group
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. suit — in cards
  22. key — the most important part
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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