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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: bay · straw · stick · coach · chip · season · deal · lie

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. chip — for betting
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. deal — to handle
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lie — to recline
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. season — in sport
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. season — of the year
  22. chip — to eat
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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