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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bound — tied together
  7. staff — a stick
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. staff — employees
  11. root — of a plant
  12. bound — certain
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. squash — to crush
  16. root — of a word
  17. staff — employees
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pass — a permit
  21. root — the cause
  22. mate — a partner
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mate — to breed

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