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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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  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 — to clutch at straws
  2. charge — electricity
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bulb — for light
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. sharp — clever
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. saw — the tool
  12. present — the time now
  13. bulb — for light
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. pass — a permit
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. charge — in control
  23. coach — a trainer
  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