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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. charge — a price
  5. season — in sport
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. charge — electricity
  12. hand — in cards
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. charge — in control
  18. object — an aim
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — to protest
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. season — of the year
  24. hand — help

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