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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. face — part of the head
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. face — to confront
  7. branch — a division
  8. suit — in cards
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. key — for a lock
  11. pop — soda
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pop — to visit
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. key — the most important part
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pop — music
  21. face — to point toward
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. key — in music
  24. suit — clothes

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