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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bat — the animal
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — the time now
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. mine — for digging
  14. ball — a dance
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. firm — steady
  20. present — a gift
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. present — there

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