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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. fine — high quality
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — decided
  5. chest — a box
  6. root — of a plant
  7. firm — a company
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. board — to get on
  10. root — of a word
  11. deal — to handle
  12. root — the cause
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. chest — of your body
  21. board — a committee
  22. chest — of your body
  23. fine — all right
  24. firm — steady

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