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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. swing — in golf
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. swing — music
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. rule — a law
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. board — a committee
  15. swing — to play on
  16. game — wild animals
  17. cue — for pool
  18. chair — a leader
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. board — to get on
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. game — a match
  23. cue — a signal
  24. chair — a professorship

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