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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. wound — an injury
  3. firm — decided
  4. capital — a big letter
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. dip — to sink
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hand — help
  14. firm — steady
  15. mug — a face
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. wound — an injury
  18. chair — a leader
  19. mug — a cup
  20. capital — money
  21. hand — in cards
  22. capital — a city
  23. mug — to rob
  24. dip — a sauce

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