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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. lean — thin
  8. last — finally
  9. toast — bread
  10. lean — to bend
  11. roll — a cake
  12. mug — a cup
  13. last — final
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. last — to go on
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. roll — a list
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mug — a face
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. rush — hurry
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mug — to rob

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