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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 116 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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. game — a match
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. drill — the tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. root — of a plant
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. root — the cause
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. root — of a word
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. game — wild animals
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. drill — army training
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bulb — for light

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