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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. firm — steady
  9. rest — what's left
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. firm — decided
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. rest — a break
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rest — what's left
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. firm — a company
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. saw — the tool

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