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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — to visit
  7. wax — to grow
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. firm — steady
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. pop — music
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. pop — soda
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. temple — a place of worship

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