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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 116 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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. band — a music group
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. row — to paddle
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. present — a gift
  7. pit — in a race
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. present — the time now
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. band — a ring
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pit — a hole
  20. row — a line
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. present — there
  24. pass — a permit

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