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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. tear — from crying
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. deal — to handle
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. object — an aim
  7. branch — a division
  8. tear — from crying
  9. tear — to rip
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. object — a thing
  18. firm — a company
  19. object — to protest
  20. pitch — completely
  21. firm — steady
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. plane — a tool

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