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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. face — to point toward
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. face — part of the head
  8. squash — to crush
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stand — to bear
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. plane — a tool
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. face — to confront
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stand — on your feet

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