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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. prune — to trim
  4. can — a tin
  5. prune — to trim
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. suit — to fit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fall — to drop
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. net — in sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. can — to be able to
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. net — for catching
  17. fall — the season
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. suit — clothes
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. net — after costs
  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