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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. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pound — a weight
  3. can — to be able to
  4. can — a tin
  5. bound — certain
  6. season — in sport
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. can — a tin
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mark — a trace
  14. season — of the year
  15. pitch — completely
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. bound — tied together
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. bass — low music
  21. bass — the fish
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pitch — a sports field

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