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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. mate — a friend
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. drill — army training
  5. rash — a series
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rock — music
  9. drill — a practice
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. charge — a price
  13. charge — in control
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mate — to breed
  18. kick — in football
  19. rock — a stone
  20. charge — electricity
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. drill — the tool
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. fine — all right

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