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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. rest — a break
  3. rule — government
  4. present — the time now
  5. rest — what's left
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. present — there
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. present — a gift
  17. band — a ring
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. band — a music group
  24. rest — what's left

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