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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. firm — a company
  4. mark — a trace
  5. season — in sport
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fine — all right
  8. track — to keep track
  9. object — an aim
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fine — high quality
  15. track — a path
  16. firm — steady
  17. object — to protest
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. season — of the year
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. track — a song
  24. object — a thing

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