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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. file — a document
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. sharp — clever
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — there
  11. cue — a signal
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — the time now
  15. file — a tool
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cue — for pool
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. file — a line of people
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cue — a hint

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