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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: pit · snap · chip · temple · bank · straw · rule · racket

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. chip — to eat
  3. rule — government
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. snap — to click
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pit — a hole
  9. chip — for betting
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. rule — a law
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bank — for money
  21. pit — in a race
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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