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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. current — of water
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. land — ground
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. mate — a friend
  7. pit — in a race
  8. mate — a partner
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. current — electric
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. current — happening now
  17. stand — to bear
  18. land — to come down
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mate — to breed
  23. land — a country
  24. pit — a hole

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