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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 116 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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. firm — decided
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. firm — a company
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rule — government
  12. bat — the animal
  13. ground — a position
  14. firm — steady
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rule — a law
  20. deal — to handle
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rule — to rule out

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