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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. mate — a friend
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. club — a group
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. stand — to bear
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. mate — a partner
  12. mate — to breed
  13. club — for dancing
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. deal — to handle
  16. drill — the tool
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitch — completely
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. drill — army training
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. deal — a big deal

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