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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mate — a friend
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. spell — magic
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bulb — for light
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mate — a partner
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bore — to tire
  17. spell — letters
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — of a plant

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