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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. present — there
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. firm — a company
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pit — in a race
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rock — music
  12. firm — decided
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. firm — steady
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. present — the time now
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — the animal

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