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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. spell — letters
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. last — final
  5. last — to go on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fork — in a road
  11. game — wild animals
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. spell — magic
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. bank — for money
  19. spell — a short time
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. last — finally
  22. bank — for money
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. straw — a straw man

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