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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  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. nail — on a finger
  3. branch — a division
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. bound — obliged
  6. object — an aim
  7. can — a tin
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. bound — certain
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. object — to protest
  12. can — to be able to
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. object — a thing
  15. bound — tied together
  16. deal — to handle
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. can — a tin
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. branch — of a bank
  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