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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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. drill — the tool
  4. wound — an injury
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. stock — goods
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. wound — an injury
  10. stock — shares
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. rush — hurry
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — a practice
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. calf — a young animal

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