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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: patient · mark · cue · arm · object · rule · club · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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 — a straw man
  3. rule — government
  4. cue — for pool
  5. club — for golf
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. club — a group
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. club — for dancing
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. cue — a hint
  20. mark — a grade
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. rule — a law
  24. object — a thing

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