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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. cue — for pool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. stand — to bear
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. face — part of the head
  11. face — to confront
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. suit — clothes
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. lie — to recline
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. lash — to lash out

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