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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. cue — a signal
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. race — a contest
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. club — for dancing
  7. race — the arms race
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bark — to shout
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. club — a group
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cue — a hint
  14. club — for golf
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. race — humankind
  19. vault — a safe
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. firm — a company
  24. bowl — to roll

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