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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. court — of a king
  4. kick — in football
  5. shower — rain
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. suit — in cards
  9. shower — to wash
  10. suit — to fit
  11. object — a thing
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. can — a tin
  14. last — finally
  15. can — a tin
  16. court — of law
  17. last — final
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. object — to protest
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. court — for sport
  23. last — to go on
  24. straw — dry grass

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