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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bass — the fish
  4. suit — to fit
  5. court — for sport
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. bass — low music
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. charge — a price
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a grade
  13. suit — clothes
  14. charge — electricity
  15. prune — to trim
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. charge — in control
  18. lean — to bend
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. court — of a king
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mark — a trace
  23. court — of law
  24. lean — thin

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