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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. season — of the year
  9. swing — in golf
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. prune — to trim
  18. swing — to play on
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — a safe
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. swing — music
  24. prune — to trim

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