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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pound — a weight
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. leaves — of a tree

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