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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bound — obliged
  7. wind — moving air
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. firm — steady
  10. track — to keep track
  11. track — a path
  12. chip — to eat
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. firm — decided
  15. chip — for betting
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. deal — to handle
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. track — a song
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bound — certain
  24. firm — a company

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