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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 120 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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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. cell — in a prison
  4. wind — moving air
  5. charge — electricity
  6. charge — a price
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. charge — in control
  9. cell — in biology
  10. mug — a face
  11. court — of law
  12. mark — a trace
  13. wind — moving air
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. cell — a phone
  16. mug — to rob
  17. mark — a grade
  18. court — of a king
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. tube — a container
  21. mug — a cup
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. court — for sport
  24. tube — the underground

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