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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. rush — hurry
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. straw — a straw man
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a trace
  12. object — to protest
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. sharp — clever
  15. hand — in cards
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. object — a thing
  18. mark — a grade
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. temple — a place of worship

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