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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. cue — a signal
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitch — completely
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. cue — for pool
  18. deal — to handle
  19. wax — to grow
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. chair — a leader
  22. cue — a hint
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. safe — a strongbox

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