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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with 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. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rule — a law
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rule — government
  12. dip — to sink
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. spell — letters
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. spell — magic
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. spell — a short time
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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