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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 116 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. key — the most important part
  7. suit — in cards
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. key — for a lock
  10. suit — clothes
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. kick — in football
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. suit — to fit
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. kid — child
  24. kid — to tease

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