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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.

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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. can — a tin
  3. firm — steady
  4. can — to be able to
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. can — a tin
  7. dip — to sink
  8. firm — a company
  9. suit — to fit
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. suit — clothes
  12. bulb — for light
  13. suit — in cards
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wake — a trail

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