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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. drill — a practice
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. wind — moving air
  5. object — an aim
  6. drill — army training
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. wind — moving air
  9. deal — to handle
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. object — a thing
  15. drill — the tool
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — to protest
  18. foot — part of the body

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