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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bore — to tire
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — in cards
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. saw — the tool
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. bore — to drill
  20. saw — the tool
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pitcher — a jug

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