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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. object — a thing
  5. rock — a stone
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. stem — to come from
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. rock — music
  12. chip — to eat
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — an aim
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pass — a permit

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