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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. present — there
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. charge — in control
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. land — a country
  9. rock — music
  10. dip — to sink
  11. land — to come down
  12. charge — a price
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. rock — a stone
  17. charge — electricity
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — a gift
  20. land — ground
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — in cards

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