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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. stand — to bear
  4. bank — of a river
  5. suit — clothes
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bank — for money
  11. rush — hurry
  12. march — the month
  13. cap — a hat
  14. snap — to click
  15. cap — a lid
  16. bank — for money
  17. march — music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. cap — of ice
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. march — the month
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. suit — to fit
  24. straw — dry grass

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