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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. scale — size or range
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. fine — high quality
  7. sharp — clever
  8. fine — all right
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. firm — a company
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. firm — decided
  14. hand — help
  15. firm — steady
  16. chair — a leader
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. hand — in cards

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