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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. rest — a break
  7. prune — to trim
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. rest — what's left
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. prune — to trim
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. rest — what's left
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. ruler — a monarch

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