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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. firm — a company
  3. game — a match
  4. firm — steady
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. mark — a trace
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. rash — a series
  9. rash — hasty
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — a grade
  17. game — wild animals
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. firm — decided
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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