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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. firm — decided
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. face — part of the head
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. face — to point toward
  10. craft — a skill
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. firm — a company
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. face — to confront
  16. craft — boats
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rush — hurry
  22. drill — army training
  23. firm — steady
  24. craft — a handicraft

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