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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 120 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bound — obliged
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bound — certain
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. prune — to trim
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. suit — in cards
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. bound — tied together
  21. suit — to fit
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pitch — completely
  24. arm — part of the body

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