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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. bound — obliged
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bound — tied together
  10. drill — a practice
  11. root — the cause
  12. drill — the tool
  13. drill — army training
  14. root — of a plant
  15. root — of a word
  16. bound — certain
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mate — a partner
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. cue — a hint
  21. mate — a friend
  22. cue — a signal
  23. cue — for pool
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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