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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. snap — to click
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bank — of a river
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. press — a publisher
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bank — for money
  18. press — newspapers
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. sharp — clever
  21. bank — for money
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. press — to push

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