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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. clip — for paper
  5. key — for a lock
  6. firm — a company
  7. key — in music
  8. clip — a video
  9. key — the most important part
  10. lean — to bend
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. current — happening now
  13. current — electric
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. current — of water
  16. bound — obliged
  17. bound — tied together
  18. firm — steady
  19. lean — thin
  20. bound — certain
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. clip — to cut
  24. temple — a place of worship

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