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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. firm — a company
  8. bear — the animal
  9. lie — to recline
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bear — the animal
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. suit — clothes
  15. firm — decided
  16. chip — for betting
  17. suit — to fit
  18. kick — in football
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. firm — steady
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rush — hurry

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