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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. track — to keep track
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. roll — a list
  11. lean — thin
  12. perch — the fish
  13. court — of a king
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. court — for sport
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. roll — a cake
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. court — of law
  24. lean — to bend

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