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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 116 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. charge — in control
  4. present — there
  5. suit — clothes
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — a tool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. suit — to fit
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. charge — electricity
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. suit — in cards
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. scale — in music
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. scale — size or range
  24. charge — a price

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