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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Have you settled on a ________________?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. firm — decided
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. date — the fruit
  7. craft — a skill
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pop — soda
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — steady
  13. season — of the year
  14. pop — to visit
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. firm — a company
  18. sharp — clever
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — boats
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. pop — 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