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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. pass — a permit
  6. last — final
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. last — finally
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. last — to go on
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fine — all right
  23. snap — to click
  24. hide — to keep secret

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