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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 116 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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bound — certain
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — to fit
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spring — the season
  12. spring — a coil
  13. bound — tied together
  14. spring — of water
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bound — obliged
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. suit — in cards
  24. straw — dry grass

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