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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. key — for a lock
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. sharp — clever
  6. cell — in biology
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. key — the most important part
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. club — for golf
  13. rule — government
  14. cell — a phone
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bore — to tire
  18. rule — a law
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bore — to drill
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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