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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 120 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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. track — to keep track
  3. firm — steady
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. track — a path
  6. snap — to click
  7. firm — a company
  8. bound — obliged
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — there
  11. fork — in a road
  12. suit — clothes
  13. rock — music
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. present — the time now
  16. suit — to fit
  17. track — a song
  18. bound — certain
  19. rock — a stone
  20. present — a gift
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bound — tied together
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. suit — in cards

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