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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. craft — boats
  5. snap — to click
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. mate — to breed
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. object — to protest
  14. craft — a skill
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. object — a thing
  18. mate — a friend
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. rest — what's left
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — an aim
  24. straw — dry grass

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