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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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Word bank
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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: court · mug · cue · nail · saw · pit · bear · straw

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mug — a cup
  5. pit — a hole
  6. court — of a king
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. mug — to rob
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. cue — for pool
  14. court — for sport
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — in a race
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. saw — the tool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. bear — the animal
  23. mug — a face
  24. court — of law

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