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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bank — for money
  3. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. track — to keep track
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. track — a song
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. pit — in a race
  16. track — a path
  17. bank — for money
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rule — a law
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. rule — government
  24. plane — in geometry

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