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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. stock — goods
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. foot — a measure
  10. charge — a price
  11. charge — in control
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. stock — shares
  14. cap — a hat
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a lid
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. charge — electricity
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. straw — dry grass

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