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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. court — for sport
  4. court — of law
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. present — there
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a great time
  17. present — a gift
  18. stand — to bear
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. deal — to handle
  21. court — of a king
  22. ball — a dance
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ruler — for measuring

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