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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. capital — money
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. firm — steady
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. lean — to bend
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. kid — child
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. toast — bread
  18. capital — a city
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. firm — decided
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. lean — thin
  24. kid — to tease

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