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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 116 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. pop — music
  4. lie — to recline
  5. firm — steady
  6. pop — soda
  7. land — a country
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. land — to come down
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. firm — a company
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. lean — to bend
  18. pop — to visit
  19. firm — decided
  20. land — ground
  21. lean — thin
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. charge — electricity

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