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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  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. hand — part of the body
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. hand — in cards
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bound — obliged
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. board — to get on
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bound — tied together
  17. board — a committee
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bound — certain
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — help
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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