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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bore — to tire
  5. track — a song
  6. cue — for pool
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. plane — a tool
  12. track — a path
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. land — ground
  15. cue — a hint
  16. land — to come down
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. bore — to drill
  20. saw — the tool
  21. land — a country
  22. cue — a signal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. chair — a leader

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