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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. firm — decided
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. firm — steady
  5. rock — a stone
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. lean — to bend
  11. tube — a container
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. rock — music
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. staff — employees
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. staff — employees
  23. firm — a company
  24. pound — a weight

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