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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. present — the time now
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. lean — to bend
  5. firm — a company
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. present — a gift
  8. firm — decided
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. firm — steady
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. deal — to handle
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. present — there
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. fork — in a road
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cue — a signal

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