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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · row · cabinet · charge · swing · straw · leaves · object

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. charge — in control
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. charge — a price
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. row — a line
  9. row — to paddle
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — an aim
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. charge — electricity
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. object — to protest
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bat — the animal

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