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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. last — to go on
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. last — final
  9. spell — magic
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stand — to bear
  13. spell — a short time
  14. can — a tin
  15. spell — letters
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. last — finally
  18. bulb — for light
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — tied together
  24. can — to be able to

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