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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. band — a music group
  6. last — finally
  7. last — to go on
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. chip — to eat
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. plane — a tool
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. snap — to click
  20. band — a ring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. last — final
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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