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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. track — a song
  7. race — humankind
  8. saw — the tool
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. saw — the tool
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. race — the arms race
  13. can — a tin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. can — to be able to
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. can — a tin
  18. track — a path
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. race — a contest
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. track — to keep track
  24. deal — to handle

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