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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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. bulb — for light
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. firm — a company
  6. bulb — for light
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. firm — decided
  9. deal — to handle
  10. wind — moving air
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — in music
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. key — for a lock
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cold — an illness
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. cold — not warm

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