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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — a company
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. firm — steady
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. key — in music
  14. firm — decided
  15. key — the most important part
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. lean — to bend
  19. key — for a lock
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. lean — thin

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