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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 116 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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. suit — clothes
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. suit — in cards
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. suit — to fit
  8. tear — to rip
  9. board — to get on
  10. ball — a great time
  11. board — a committee
  12. ball — a dance
  13. tear — from crying
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. game — wild animals
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. game — a match
  19. tear — from crying
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pitch — completely
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — to handle

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