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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. hand — in cards
  3. hand — help
  4. firm — a company
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bank — for money
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a great time
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. staff — employees
  14. ball — a dance
  15. spell — magic
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. firm — steady
  18. staff — employees
  19. staff — a stick
  20. spell — a short time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bank — for money
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. spell — letters

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