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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. staff — a stick
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. pit — in a race
  7. staff — employees
  8. track — a song
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mine — for digging
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. staff — employees
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pit — a hole
  17. firm — steady
  18. firm — decided
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. track — a path
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. track — to keep track

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