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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bound — tied together
  3. last — finally
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. object — an aim
  7. last — final
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bound — certain
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rest — what's left
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. prune — to trim
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. rest — what's left
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bound — obliged
  20. lie — to recline
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. last — to go on
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rest — a break

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