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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pass — a permit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. suit — to fit
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — an injury
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. degree — from a university
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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