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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  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. rock — a stone
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. mark — a trace
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. spring — a coil
  9. rule — a law
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. firm — decided
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. mark — a grade
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rock — music
  23. rule — government
  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