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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.

Make a worksheet

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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. suit — in cards
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. scale — size or range
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. can — a tin
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. key — the most important part
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. key — for a lock
  16. key — in music
  17. can — a tin
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. scale — in music
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. coach — a trainer

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