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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · straw · suit · deal · fall · cold · nail · mug

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The water is too ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. suit — to fit
  7. cold — not warm
  8. deal — to handle
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cold — an illness
  17. mug — a face
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — a cup
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — in cards
  22. mug — to rob
  23. fall — the season
  24. suit — clothes

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