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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 · ruler · pitcher · pitch · bass · deal · lean · cap

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lean — thin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. deal — to handle
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bass — low music
  12. lean — to bend
  13. cap — a hat
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bass — the fish
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. bass — the instrument

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