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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. key — for a lock
  5. firm — decided
  6. key — in music
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — a container
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. tube — the underground
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. firm — steady
  20. branch — a division
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bowl — to roll

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