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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. mug — to rob
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — for light
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. mug — a face
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — in sport
  14. mug — a cup
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. net — after costs
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. bulb — for light
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. vault — a safe
  24. coach — a trainer

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