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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — an aim
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. suit — in cards
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mine — for digging
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. object — a thing
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — clothes
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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