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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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. wax — to grow
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. rock — a stone
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. rock — music
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. swing — in golf
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. lie — to recline
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. swing — to play on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. swing — music

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