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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. pit — a hole
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. mark — a grade
  9. wind — moving air
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. sharp — clever
  12. deal — to handle
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. mark — a trace
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. wind — moving air
  24. deal — a big deal

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