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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: straw · lash · sharp · deal · wake · saw · suit · face

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. saw — the tool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. suit — clothes
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. sharp — clever
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. saw — the tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. face — part of the head
  16. wake — a trail
  17. face — to point toward
  18. suit — to fit
  19. face — to confront
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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