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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. scale — in music
  3. current — happening now
  4. fall — to drop
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fall — to drop
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. charge — a price
  15. current — electric
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. scale — size or range
  20. current — of water
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. stem — to come from
  23. fall — the season
  24. bay — a horse colour

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