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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. deal — to handle
  7. bear — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. swing — in golf
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. swing — music
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bear — the animal
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. rock — a stone
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. swing — to play on
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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