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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — a permit
  5. season — of the year
  6. bear — the animal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. can — a tin
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. wind — moving air
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. wind — moving air
  16. season — in sport
  17. can — a tin
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. can — to be able to
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bear — the animal

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