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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — a skill
  5. rule — government
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. object — a thing
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. craft — boats
  10. rule — a law
  11. object — an aim
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bass — the fish
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. object — to protest
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bass — low music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. straw — dry grass

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