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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. craft — boats
  3. swing — in golf
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. season — of the year
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. fine — high quality
  8. drill — army training
  9. season — in sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. drill — the tool
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. swing — to play on
  17. fork — in a road
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. fine — all right
  20. craft — a skill
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. swing — music
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. drill — a practice

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