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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — to wash
  4. net — after costs
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. can — to be able to
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. can — a tin
  11. net — for catching
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. firm — a company
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. net — in sport
  23. can — a tin
  24. coach — a trainer

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