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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: wind · mouse · pitcher · cabinet · straw · deal · firm · lash

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wind — moving air
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. firm — steady
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. firm — decided
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mouse — the animal

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