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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. firm — decided
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. suit — to fit
  6. rule — a law
  7. fork — in a road
  8. craft — boats
  9. rule — government
  10. row — a line
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. row — to paddle
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. firm — steady
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. firm — a company
  21. craft — a skill
  22. suit — in cards
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. straw — dry grass

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