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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. firm — decided
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. track — a song
  6. clip — a video
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. clip — to cut
  12. fork — in a road
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. clip — for paper
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — a path
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — for light
  20. firm — a company
  21. track — to keep track
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. wake — a trail

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