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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. mug — a face
  3. pop — music
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chair — a leader
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. pop — soda
  13. mug — a cup
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. key — the most important part
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — in music
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. deal — to handle

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