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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. suit — clothes
  13. mark — a trace
  14. suit — in cards
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. rock — a stone
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. snap — to click
  19. rock — music
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — the animal
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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