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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — to bend
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. lean — thin
  6. present — a gift
  7. cap — a lid
  8. present — there
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. mark — a trace
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — electricity
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. charge — a price
  17. cap — a hat
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. present — the time now
  20. cap — of ice
  21. mark — a grade
  22. stock — goods
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. stock — shares

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