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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. pop — music
  9. suit — clothes
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pop — soda
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. charge — electricity
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. charge — a price
  20. snap — to click
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pop — to visit
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — in cards

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