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

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. pass — a permit
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. deal — to handle
  7. chair — a leader
  8. present — the time now
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. kick — in football
  16. present — there
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. bulb — for light
  21. present — a gift
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. bulb — for light

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