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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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitch — completely
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. perch — the fish
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hand — in cards
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hand — help
  17. roll — a cake
  18. foot — a measure
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bulb — for light
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. pitch — a sports field

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