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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 120 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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — a stick
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. root — of a plant
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rest — what's left
  9. pop — to visit
  10. root — the cause
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pop — music
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. mate — to breed
  17. pop — soda
  18. stock — shares
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. rest — a break
  21. stock — goods
  22. root — of a word
  23. mate — a partner
  24. staff — employees

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