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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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. fine — high quality
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. swing — in golf
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. rest — a break
  9. bulb — for light
  10. swing — to play on
  11. suit — to fit
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. saw — the tool
  17. last — to go on
  18. swing — music
  19. bulb — for light
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. suit — in cards
  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