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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. mark — a grade
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fine — all right
  7. branch — a division
  8. chip — to eat
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. face — to confront
  13. chip — for betting
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. face — to point toward
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. face — part of the head
  24. mark — to pay attention

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