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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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. chip — for betting
  3. bulb — for light
  4. rock — music
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. key — in music
  7. bulb — for light
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. key — the most important part
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — hurry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. chip — to eat
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. key — for a lock
  21. lie — to recline
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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