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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rest — what's left
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bound — obliged
  6. mug — a cup
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mug — a face
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bound — certain
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. bound — tied together
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rest — what's left
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ruler — for measuring

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