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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. object — a thing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. track — to keep track
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. pop — to visit
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. object — to protest
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mug — to rob
  19. pop — music
  20. row — a line
  21. row — to paddle
  22. object — an aim
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. pop — soda

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