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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. pit — a hole
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. present — the time now
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pit — in a race
  9. present — a gift
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. club — for golf
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. pitch — completely
  15. present — there
  16. club — for dancing
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. club — a group
  24. bowl — to roll

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