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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. suit — in cards
  4. dip — to sink
  5. content — happy
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. rock — music
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. can — to be able to
  11. suit — clothes
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. content — the amount
  19. suit — to fit
  20. can — a tin
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. sharp — clever
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. can — a tin

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