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

Word bank: chair · lie · straw · fine · pass · bark · key · deal

  1. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — to clutch at straws
  2. fine — all right
  3. key — in music
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. lie — to recline
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. key — the most important part
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fine — high quality
  19. key — for a lock
  20. bark — to shout
  21. deal — to handle
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. chair — a leader

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