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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. sharp — clever
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. ground — the earth
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. root — the cause
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. root — of a word
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. ground — a position

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