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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  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. ball — a great time
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spell — letters
  7. deal — to handle
  8. pop — music
  9. spell — a short time
  10. bulb — for light
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. pop — soda
  20. spell — magic
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. pop — to visit
  23. ball — a dance
  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