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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  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. ball — a great time
  2. root — the cause
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a hint
  6. ball — a dance
  7. root — of a plant
  8. file — a line of people
  9. cue — for pool
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. root — of a word
  12. cue — a signal
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. firm — decided
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. file — a tool
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. file — a document
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. straw — a straw man
  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