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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. rest — what's left
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. mate — to breed
  6. last — final
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. suit — clothes
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. rest — what's left
  13. deal — to handle
  14. bound — certain
  15. last — finally
  16. last — to go on
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. rest — a break
  21. bound — tied together
  22. suit — in cards
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. deal — a big deal

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