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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. suit — clothes
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. row — to paddle
  6. row — a line
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. bound — certain
  10. bound — tied together
  11. rock — music
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bound — obliged
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fan — a supporter

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