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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. last — to go on
  5. season — in sport
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. race — humankind
  8. season — of the year
  9. race — a contest
  10. rock — music
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. suit — clothes
  13. last — final
  14. race — the arms race
  15. rock — a stone
  16. last — finally
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. plane — a tool
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — to move gently

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