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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. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. patient — calm and waiting
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rush — hurry
  4. suit — to fit
  5. suit — clothes
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. root — of a word
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. root — of a plant
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. root — the cause
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. current — electric
  20. drill — army training
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. suit — in cards

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