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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. racket — a loud noise
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. chip — for betting
  6. hand — in cards
  7. chip — to eat
  8. fall — the season
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stand — to bear
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. hand — help
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pitch — completely
  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