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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. face — to point toward
  3. pitch — completely
  4. mate — to breed
  5. face — to confront
  6. can — a tin
  7. face — part of the head
  8. scale — in music
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. bore — to drill
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. can — a tin
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. can — to be able to
  17. band — a ring
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mate — a friend
  22. band — a music group
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. mate — a partner

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