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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  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. content — videos and posts
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. content — happy
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. content — the amount
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. vault — a safe
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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