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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 120 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pitch — completely
  8. cue — a hint
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bulb — for light
  15. board — a committee
  16. ground — a position
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. board — to get on
  20. bulb — for light
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ground — the earth
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pound — for dogs

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