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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 piece is in a major ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. key — in music
  3. degree — from a university
  4. firm — a company
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. charge — a price
  7. object — an aim
  8. firm — steady
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. roll — a list
  11. object — to protest
  12. roll — a cake
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. degree — temperature
  15. charge — in control
  16. key — the most important part
  17. degree — an amount
  18. key — for a lock
  19. kid — child
  20. charge — electricity
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. object — a thing
  23. kid — to tease
  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