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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pound — a weight
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rest — what's left
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pass — a permit
  17. rest — a break
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bulb — for light
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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