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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ground — a position
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. spring — the season
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fork — in a road
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ground — the earth
  17. can — to be able to
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. can — a tin
  20. mug — a face
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. ground — crushed

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