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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: deal · rule · coach · pitcher · calf · patient · straw · mine

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. rule — government
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rule — a law
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. deal — to handle
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. mine — for digging

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