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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. drill — the tool
  5. firm — decided
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. firm — steady
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — the amount
  13. firm — a company
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. content — happy
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. chair — a leader
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. drill — a practice
  23. drill — army training
  24. lash — to lash out

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