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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. drill — the tool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. season — of the year
  8. root — of a word
  9. root — of a plant
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — employees
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. root — the cause
  17. season — in sport
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. drill — army training
  24. drill — a practice

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