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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. key — the most important part
  5. firm — a company
  6. net — for catching
  7. rule — government
  8. rule — a law
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. net — after costs
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. pitch — completely
  16. key — for a lock
  17. season — of the year
  18. key — in music
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. net — in sport
  21. firm — decided
  22. season — in sport
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. firm — steady

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