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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. cue — a signal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. craft — a skill
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. craft — boats
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — a gift
  11. present — the time now
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cue — for pool
  16. present — there
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. row — a line
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chair — a leader
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cue — a hint
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. row — to paddle

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