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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 116 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: last · club · perch · bore · straw · pass · bear · chip

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bear — the animal
  3. club — for golf
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bore — to drill
  8. chip — to eat
  9. last — finally
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — a permit
  13. bore — to tire
  14. perch — the fish
  15. club — a group
  16. last — final
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. bear — the animal
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. club — for dancing
  24. last — to go on

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