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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 116 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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. mark — a trace
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. mark — a grade
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. net — for catching
  12. stock — goods
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. net — in sport
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. stock — shares
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. net — after costs
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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