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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. rule — government
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. swing — in golf
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. firm — decided
  8. swing — music
  9. march — music
  10. bear — the animal
  11. swing — to play on
  12. rule — a law
  13. march — the month
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. march — the month
  16. firm — steady
  17. bear — the animal
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. firm — a company
  22. deal — to handle
  23. mate — a friend
  24. mate — a partner

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