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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. cue — for pool
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. fine — high quality
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. band — a ring
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. fine — all right
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. cue — a signal
  13. roll — a list
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. band — a music group
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. cue — a hint
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. roll — a cake
  24. fine — a penalty

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