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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mate — a partner
  4. band — a ring
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mate — a friend
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. mate — to breed
  12. net — for catching
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. pound — a weight
  20. net — in sport
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. net — after costs
  23. band — a music group
  24. temple — a place of worship

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