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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. can — to be able to
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rock — music
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. craft — boats
  10. row — to paddle
  11. row — a line
  12. craft — a skill
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — a trace
  15. can — a tin
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. rock — a stone
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. craft — a handicraft
  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