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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. shower — rain
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. toast — bread
  15. game — a match
  16. game — wild animals
  17. foot — a measure
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. shower — to wash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fan — to cool the air

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