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

Word bank: ruler · deal · present · stem · suit · sharp · content · straw

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. stem — to come from
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. suit — clothes
  15. content — happy
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. suit — in cards
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — to fit
  20. present — the time now
  21. content — the amount
  22. deal — to handle
  23. present — there
  24. ruler — for measuring

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