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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: season · straw · roll · bore · mug · deal · plane · ruler

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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. mug — a face
  4. mug — a cup
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. plane — a tool
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bore — to drill
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. season — in sport
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. roll — a list
  20. deal — to handle
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. season — of the year

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