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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. rule — a law
  5. mark — a trace
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. toast — bread
  8. lean — thin
  9. cue — a signal
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. chair — a leader
  15. cue — for pool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. lean — to bend
  21. cue — a hint
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rule — government

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