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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rule — government
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cue — for pool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. track — a song
  12. cue — a hint
  13. perch — the fish
  14. cue — a signal
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. track — to keep track
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. rule — a law
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. track — a path

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