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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. saw — the tool
  5. game — wild animals
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. firm — steady
  9. saw — the tool
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. land — to come down
  17. land — ground
  18. firm — decided
  19. land — a country
  20. pound — a weight
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wind — moving air
  24. game — a match

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