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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 124 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. suit — clothes
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. chest — of your body
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. suit — in cards
  7. chest — a box
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. suit — to fit
  20. chest — of your body
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. pitch — a sports field

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