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

Word bank: pitcher · snap · track · kick · rest · straw · ball · lie

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. track — a path
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rest — what's left
  8. kick — in football
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. track — a song
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. track — to keep track
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. lie — to recline
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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