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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bore — to drill
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bore — to tire
  5. mark — a grade
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. scale — in music
  12. game — wild animals
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ball — a great time
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. scale — size or range
  19. game — a match
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. cap — a hat
  24. ball — a round shape

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