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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. can — a tin
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. last — final
  7. last — finally
  8. mark — a trace
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. last — to go on
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. deal — to handle
  15. rush — hurry
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lie — to recline
  18. sharp — clever
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a grade
  24. can — a tin

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