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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 120 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: deal · bear · lash · suit · straw · staff · safe · lie

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. deal — to handle
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. bear — the animal
  6. suit — clothes
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. lie — to recline
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. staff — employees
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. staff — a stick
  24. safe — out of danger

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