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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pit — a hole
  3. firm — steady
  4. deal — to handle
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. firm — decided
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. dip — to sink
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. cap — a lid
  19. cap — of ice
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cap — a hat
  24. pit — in a race

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