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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. charge — electricity
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. charge — in control
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. plane — a tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. current — happening now
  10. rock — music
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. shower — to wash
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. current — of water
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rock — a stone
  17. shower — rain
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. current — electric
  20. charge — a price
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. safe — a strongbox

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