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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lie — to recline
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pop — music
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. row — to paddle
  9. firm — a company
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. pop — to visit
  16. firm — steady
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. pop — soda
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. deal — to handle
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. row — a line

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