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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. firm — a company
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. firm — decided
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. can — a tin
  8. charge — a price
  9. cap — a hat
  10. can — to be able to
  11. can — a tin
  12. bear — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. cap — of ice
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. charge — electricity
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. cap — a lid
  22. deal — to handle
  23. firm — steady
  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