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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. firm — decided
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. tear — to rip
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. tube — a container
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. firm — a company
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. foot — a measure
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. tube — the underground
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. firm — steady
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. tear — from crying
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. tear — from crying
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fine — high quality

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