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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitch · deal · season · arm · straw · rock · land · bore

  1. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. season — of the year
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. bore — to tire
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. land — to come down
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. land — ground
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. season — in sport
  15. land — a country
  16. bore — to drill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. rock — a stone
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — completely
  24. rock — music

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