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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pop — music
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. drill — the tool
  5. cue — a hint
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cue — a signal
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ball — a dance
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — to visit
  13. drill — army training
  14. pop — soda
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. club — for golf
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. club — for dancing
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. club — a group

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