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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's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. pass — a permit
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rule — government
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. shower — rain
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. object — an aim
  16. sharp — clever
  17. object — a thing
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. rule — a law
  20. shower — to wash
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. object — to protest
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. nail — for a hammer

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