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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. firm — steady
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pass — a permit
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pitch — completely
  7. shower — rain
  8. firm — decided
  9. charge — in control
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. firm — a company
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. swing — to play on
  17. swing — in golf
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. charge — a price
  20. shower — to wash
  21. swing — music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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