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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cell — in biology
  5. cell — a phone
  6. season — in sport
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rule — government
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. club — for golf
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. rule — a law
  14. season — of the year
  15. mug — a face
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. club — a group
  18. mug — a cup
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rash — a series
  21. club — for dancing
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. rash — hasty

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