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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 120 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 carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. plane — a tool
  3. suit — in cards
  4. mate — a partner
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mate — to breed
  7. swing — to play on
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. suit — clothes
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. row — a line
  12. swing — music
  13. mate — a friend
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. row — to paddle
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. snap — to click
  21. swing — in golf
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. suit — to fit

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