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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. suit — clothes
  3. mug — to rob
  4. content — the amount
  5. mine — for digging
  6. net — for catching
  7. content — happy
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. suit — in cards
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. suit — to fit
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. net — in sport
  19. mug — a cup
  20. net — after costs
  21. ball — a dance
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mug — a face

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