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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 116 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 is an ace ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. fine — high quality
  3. current — happening now
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. capital — a city
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. firm — decided
  9. current — of water
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. deal — to handle
  14. firm — steady
  15. rash — a series
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. capital — money
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. current — electric
  21. fine — all right
  22. rash — hasty
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. firm — a company

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