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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. clip — to cut
  3. suit — to fit
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bound — obliged
  6. chip — for betting
  7. clip — a video
  8. suit — clothes
  9. clip — for paper
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bound — certain
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — a tool
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chip — to eat
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bound — tied together

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