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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. kid — child
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. firm — decided
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — a hint
  11. march — the month
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. firm — steady
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. march — the month
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. kid — to tease
  20. cue — a signal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. cue — for pool
  23. march — music
  24. firm — a company

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