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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 ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. root — of a plant
  3. field — farmland
  4. root — the cause
  5. bound — certain
  6. swing — in golf
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. field — for sport
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. swing — to play on
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. field — a subject
  16. swing — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. root — of a word
  19. deal — to handle
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bound — tied together
  24. bulb — for light

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