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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. bound — obliged
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. track — a path
  6. race — the arms race
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. face — to point toward
  9. face — to confront
  10. face — part of the head
  11. track — a song
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. race — humankind
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. bound — tied together
  19. track — to keep track
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. bound — certain
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. race — a contest
  24. arm — a part of something

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