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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. drill — a practice
  4. firm — steady
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. bear — the animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. drill — the tool
  11. firm — decided
  12. wind — moving air
  13. bear — the animal
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. drill — army training
  20. roll — a cake
  21. roll — a list
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. roll — on a roll

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