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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  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. straw — dry grass
  2. stand — to bear
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. mark — a trace
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mark — a grade
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — music
  12. staff — a stick
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. staff — employees
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. firm — decided
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — steady
  20. staff — employees
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. mouse — the animal
  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