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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. kid — child
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. kid — to tease
  12. plane — a tool
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. fork — in a road
  15. deal — to handle
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. firm — steady
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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