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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 120 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: straw · pitcher · bear · deal · bulb · saw · mark · cabinet

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mark — a grade
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bulb — for light
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. saw — the tool
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bulb — for light

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