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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. pop — to visit
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pop — soda
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. pop — music
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. game — wild animals
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. game — a match
  21. chest — of your body
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — a box
  24. safe — out of danger

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