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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. face — to point toward
  4. squash — to crush
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. face — part of the head
  10. current — electric
  11. current — of water
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. stand — to bear
  20. suit — in cards
  21. current — happening now
  22. face — to confront
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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