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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. game — a match
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chip — for betting
  6. rush — hurry
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cue — for pool
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. squash — to crush
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. game — wild animals
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. cue — a hint

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