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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 116 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: mate · plane · pitch · dip · stand · rush · straw · bore

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. plane — a tool
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. rush — hurry
  12. dip — to sink
  13. stand — to bear
  14. bore — to drill
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. mate — to breed
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. bore — to tire
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. rush — a thrill

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