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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. season — in sport
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. rush — hurry
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. season — of the year
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. calf — a young animal

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