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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. stock — goods
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mate — to breed
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mug — to rob
  9. row — to paddle
  10. mate — a friend
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mug — a face
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. fine — all right
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mug — a cup
  21. row — a line
  22. stock — shares
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. temple — side of the head

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