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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: present · pitcher · foot · land · straw · rest · pass · deal

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. deal — to handle
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — a measure
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. present — the time now
  11. land — ground
  12. pass — a permit
  13. present — there
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rest — what's left
  17. rest — what's left
  18. land — a country
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. land — to come down
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rest — a break
  24. present — a gift

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