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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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. wax — to grow
  5. season — in sport
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mark — a trace
  8. lean — thin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a partner
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. season — of the year
  16. mark — a grade
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. mate — a friend
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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