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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. rash — hasty
  4. bass — low music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. suit — to fit
  12. bass — the fish
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. rash — a series
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lean — to bend
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bulb — for light
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bulb — for light
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. lean — thin
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. deal — a big deal

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