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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 120 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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. charge — electricity
  3. wound — an injury
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. snap — to click
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. pit — in a race
  13. suit — in cards
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wound — an injury
  18. capital — a city
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. pit — a hole
  21. charge — a price
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. capital — money

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