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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.

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: rest · leaves · cap · charge · net · plane · mouse · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. rest — what's left
  3. net — after costs
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. charge — in control
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. cap — a hat
  11. net — in sport
  12. rest — what's left
  13. net — for catching
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. rest — a break
  16. plane — a tool
  17. charge — a price
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. cap — a lid
  21. cap — of ice
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. mouse — 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