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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: straw · pitch · game · squash · cabinet · season · rock · staff

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. squash — to crush
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. rock — a stone
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. staff — employees
  11. staff — a stick
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. game — a match
  14. rock — music
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. staff — employees
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. game — wild animals
  23. season — in sport
  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