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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. mate — to breed
  4. game — wild animals
  5. court — of law
  6. game — a match
  7. mate — a partner
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. court — of a king
  11. plane — a tool
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cue — for pool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. mate — a friend
  19. court — for sport
  20. bank — of a river
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bank — for money
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bank — for money

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