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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 met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. firm — a company
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. root — of a plant
  6. firm — decided
  7. firm — steady
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mine — for digging
  13. root — the cause
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mark — a grade
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. perch — the fish
  19. mark — a trace
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. straw — dry grass

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