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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 120 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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mug — a face
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. prune — to trim
  10. mug — a cup
  11. stand — to bear
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. mate — a partner
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. suit — in cards
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chest — of your body
  21. pass — a permit
  22. mate — a friend
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. prune — to trim

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