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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — in golf
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. cap — a hat
  6. object — to protest
  7. cap — of ice
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. root — the cause
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. root — of a word
  14. swing — music
  15. deal — to handle
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. object — a thing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cap — a lid
  22. chip — to eat
  23. swing — to play on
  24. object — an aim

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