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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 drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. toast — bread
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. swing — music
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. tube — the underground
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. swing — to play on
  17. can — a tin
  18. pitch — completely
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. can — to be able to
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. swing — in golf
  23. tube — a container
  24. can — a tin

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