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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 124 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. net — in sport
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. net — after costs
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. deal — to handle
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. net — for catching
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. row — to paddle
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. row — a line
  23. wax — to grow
  24. racket — for tennis

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