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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 116 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. squash — the sport
  6. suit — in cards
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. swing — in golf
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. stem — to come from
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. game — a match
  18. swing — music
  19. game — wild animals
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. swing — to play on
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. squash — to crush

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