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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: lie · band · straw · ball · staff · suit · spring · pitcher

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. spring — of water
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. ball — a great time
  7. spring — a coil
  8. staff — employees
  9. suit — in cards
  10. band — a ring
  11. staff — a stick
  12. spring — the season
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. ball — a dance
  17. band — a music group
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. lie — to recline
  23. suit — to fit
  24. staff — employees

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