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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pit · lie · pop · pitch · march · straw · cue · bowl

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pop — soda
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pit — in a race
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. march — music
  10. cue — for pool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. pitch — completely
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. march — the month
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. march — the month
  20. cue — a signal
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pit — a hole
  23. lie — to recline
  24. bowl — a dish

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