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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — of the year
  9. game — wild animals
  10. season — in sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. club — for dancing
  13. tube — a container
  14. pitch — completely
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. club — a group
  21. tube — the underground
  22. squash — the sport
  23. club — for golf
  24. game — a match

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