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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. degree — temperature
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. pitch — completely
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. degree — from a university
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. degree — an amount
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. saw — the tool
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mouse — the animal

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