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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. can — a tin
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fine — all right
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. charge — a price
  13. mark — a grade
  14. club — for golf
  15. club — a group
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. mark — a trace
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. club — for dancing
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. charge — in control
  24. pitch — completely

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