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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. tear — from crying
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pass — a permit
  5. object — a thing
  6. tear — to rip
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kick — in football
  10. suit — clothes
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. snap — to click
  15. board — to get on
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. suit — in cards
  21. board — a committee
  22. object — an aim
  23. object — to protest
  24. pass — to spend time

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