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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 120 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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  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. straw — a straw man
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. last — to go on
  9. stem — to come from
  10. wake — a trail
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. last — finally
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. last — final
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  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