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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. prune — to trim
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. shower — rain
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stem — to come from
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. pit — a hole
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pit — in a race
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. prune — to trim
  19. shower — to wash
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. prune — the fruit

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