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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. staff — employees
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. staff — a stick
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. firm — a company
  8. mark — a trace
  9. face — to point toward
  10. face — part of the head
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. tube — a container
  13. suit — to fit
  14. face — to confront
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. firm — steady
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — decided
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. staff — employees
  24. straw — a straw man

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