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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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. track — a path
  3. firm — steady
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. saw — the tool
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. firm — a company
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. saw — the tool
  23. firm — decided
  24. chair — a leader

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