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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bound — certain
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bear — the animal
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. game — wild animals
  13. bound — obliged
  14. game — a match
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. bear — the animal
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bound — tied together
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bear — to put up with

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