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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. rest — what's left
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. staff — employees
  8. cue — a hint
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. staff — a stick
  12. cue — for pool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rest — a break
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — what's left
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. deal — to handle
  22. staff — employees
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. pitch — completely

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