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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bore — to tire
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. stock — goods
  11. bore — to drill
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. content — the amount
  18. stock — shares
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. content — happy
  21. rule — government
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rule — a law
  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