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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. suit — to fit
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — in football
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stand — to bear
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. roll — a cake
  12. suit — clothes
  13. roll — a list
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. jam — a tight spot

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