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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. mug — a cup
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — help
  7. cue — a signal
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. cue — for pool
  11. mug — to rob
  12. bound — obliged
  13. mug — a face
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. cue — a hint
  17. bound — certain
  18. bound — tied together
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. scale — in music
  23. scale — size or range
  24. vault — a safe

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