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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rock — a stone
  3. scale — in music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. scale — size or range
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. pitch — completely
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. chip — to eat
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. chip — for betting
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. scale — for weighing

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