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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. firm — a company
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. club — for dancing
  6. firm — decided
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. charge — a price
  10. rock — music
  11. club — for golf
  12. rock — a stone
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. charge — in control
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — a weight
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. firm — steady
  23. club — a group
  24. charge — electricity

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