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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. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. race — humankind
  3. object — an aim
  4. mug — a face
  5. object — to protest
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. hand — help
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pit — in a race
  10. game — wild animals
  11. race — the arms race
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pit — a hole
  14. race — a contest
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mug — to rob
  20. firm — steady
  21. game — a match
  22. hand — in cards
  23. mug — a cup
  24. object — a thing

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