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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 124 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. cue — a signal
  3. saw — the tool
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stand — to bear
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ground — crushed
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cue — a hint
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. lie — to recline
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ground — a position
  19. cue — for pool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitch — completely

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