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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 116 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. drill — army training
  3. sharp — clever
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. drill — the tool
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. deal — to handle
  11. capital — a city
  12. firm — decided
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. drill — a practice
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. firm — steady
  21. capital — money
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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