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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: straw · stick · fine · rest · rush · toast · foot · deal

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. toast — bread
  5. rush — hurry
  6. foot — a measure
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. fine — all right
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rest — a break
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. deal — to handle
  24. straw — dry grass

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