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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. prune — to trim
  4. suit — to fit
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. suit — in cards
  10. object — an aim
  11. court — for sport
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. object — to protest
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. object — a thing
  18. court — of law
  19. prune — to trim
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. suit — clothes
  22. court — of a king
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. pass — to spend time

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