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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bank — for money
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. march — the month
  5. firm — decided
  6. pound — a weight
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. firm — a company
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fine — all right
  13. march — the month
  14. last — finally
  15. bank — for money
  16. last — final
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. fine — high quality
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. march — music
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. bank — of a river
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. firm — steady

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