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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: land · hand · object · wind · pass · straw · ruler · pound

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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. pound — a weight
  4. land — to come down
  5. object — an aim
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. wind — moving air
  13. hand — in cards
  14. object — a thing
  15. object — to protest
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. land — a country
  18. hand — help
  19. wind — moving air
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. land — ground

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