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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. suit — clothes
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. lie — to recline
  9. rock — music
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. suit — in cards
  12. degree — temperature
  13. saw — the tool
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — from a university
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. suit — to fit
  20. wake — a trail
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. straw — a straw man

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