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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. When are we going to ________________?
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. march — music
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. charge — electricity
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. march — the month
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. march — the month
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. land — a country
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. land — to come down
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. land — ground
  22. stem — to come from
  23. charge — in control
  24. wave — with your hand

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