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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. tear — from crying
  4. mug — a face
  5. cell — in biology
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. tear — from crying
  8. firm — steady
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. mug — a cup
  13. craft — boats
  14. tear — to rip
  15. file — a line of people
  16. file — a document
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. cell — a phone
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. file — a tool
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mug — to rob

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