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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 ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. perch — the fish
  7. lean — to bend
  8. firm — steady
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cap — a lid
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. cap — a hat
  16. snap — to click
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. cap — of ice
  19. lean — thin
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. perch — for a bird

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