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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. chip — for betting
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. rock — a stone
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. rock — music
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. cap — a lid
  14. chip — to eat
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. staff — employees
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pound — a weight
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cap — a hat
  22. staff — employees
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pound — for dogs

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