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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. season — of the year
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. mate — a partner
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — to breed
  11. board — a committee
  12. season — in sport
  13. bear — the animal
  14. mate — a friend
  15. board — to get on
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pitcher — a jug

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