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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. tear — from crying
  3. dip — to sink
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. row — to paddle
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. row — a line
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. suit — to fit
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — to rip
  24. perch — the fish

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