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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mug — a face
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. face — part of the head
  6. pass — a permit
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. race — humankind
  10. mug — a cup
  11. face — to point toward
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. race — the arms race
  17. face — to confront
  18. race — a contest
  19. mug — to rob
  20. stand — to bear
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. toast — bread

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