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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. cap — of ice
  5. object — to protest
  6. cap — a lid
  7. object — an aim
  8. perch — the fish
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cap — a hat
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. object — a thing
  18. pitch — completely
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. suit — in cards

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