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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. cap — a lid
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. cap — of ice
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. plane — a tool
  10. firm — steady
  11. kick — in football
  12. bass — the fish
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cap — a hat
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. fine — all right
  24. bass — low music

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