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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. mate — a partner
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. suit — to fit
  6. key — the most important part
  7. charge — in control
  8. stand — to bear
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. key — for a lock
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rock — music
  15. sharp — clever
  16. key — in music
  17. mate — a friend
  18. charge — a price
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. suit — clothes
  22. mate — to breed
  23. charge — electricity
  24. stand — on your feet

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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