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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: jam · bat · face · deal · content · bore · straw · cue

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bat — the animal
  4. face — to confront
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. cue — for pool
  10. face — part of the head
  11. content — the amount
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bat — in an idiom
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. bore — to tire
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. cue — a signal
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. content — happy
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cue — a hint
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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