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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. current — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. current — electric
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. suit — to fit
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rock — music
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rule — a law
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. rock — a stone
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rule — government
  24. rule — to rule out

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