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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. rock — a stone
  5. pass — a permit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. rock — music
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mine — for digging
  14. charge — electricity
  15. charge — in control
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mine — belonging to me

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