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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. rest — a break
  3. stem — to come from
  4. pop — soda
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rest — what's left
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pop — to visit
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. deal — to handle
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. pop — music
  23. rest — what's left
  24. straw — a straw man

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