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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. spring — the season
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. lie — to recline
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. key — for a lock
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. key — in music
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. coach — a trainer

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