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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bore — to tire
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. bore — to drill
  8. face — to confront
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. face — to point toward
  12. board — a committee
  13. plane — a tool
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — part of the head
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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