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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. cue — for pool
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pit — in a race
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. hand — in cards
  10. board — a committee
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. pit — a hole
  13. hand — help
  14. cue — a hint
  15. suit — in cards
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. suit — to fit
  21. perch — the fish
  22. board — to get on
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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