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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. charge — in control
  4. cue — a signal
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. cap — a lid
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. charge — a price
  10. cap — of ice
  11. cue — a hint
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. season — in sport
  14. cue — for pool
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. cap — a hat
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. season — of the year
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. stand — to bear
  24. safe — out of danger

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