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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. prune — to trim
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bass — low music
  11. bore — to tire
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. chair — a leader
  18. prune — to trim
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bass — the fish
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. deal — to handle
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cabinet — ministers

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