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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pitch — completely
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pound — a weight
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wax — to grow
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. wind — moving air
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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