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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.

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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pop — music
  6. board — a committee
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. board — to get on
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a leader
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rule — a law
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. rule — government
  23. pop — soda
  24. safe — out of danger

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