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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. pass — a permit
  7. scale — in music
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. bound — tied together
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. scale — size or range
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bound — certain
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — to come down
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. plane — a tool
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bound — obliged
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. pass — to succeed

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