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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bank — for money
  3. mine — for digging
  4. firm — a company
  5. present — the time now
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. firm — steady
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bank — of a river
  11. suit — clothes
  12. present — a gift
  13. rule — a law
  14. rule — government
  15. bank — for money
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. snap — to click
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. present — there
  23. suit — to fit
  24. dip — to sink

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