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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. tear — from crying
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. root — of a word
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. tear — from crying
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. fine — high quality
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — all right
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. root — the cause
  18. firm — a company
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. root — of a plant
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. tear — to rip
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. bowl — to roll

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