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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 need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. firm — a company
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. firm — steady
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. firm — decided
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. deal — a big deal

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