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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bass — the fish
  3. firm — steady
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — low music
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — a company
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stand — to bear
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. bear — the animal
  18. nail — on a finger

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