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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: firm · ground · lean · clip · foot · straw · cue · suit

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. foot — a measure
  3. firm — steady
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. clip — to cut
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. firm — a company
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lean — thin
  13. ground — a position
  14. cue — a hint
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. firm — decided
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — the earth
  19. clip — a video
  20. clip — for paper
  21. lean — to bend
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. suit — clothes

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