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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 116 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. last — final
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. firm — decided
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. stand — to bear
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. last — to go on
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — steady
  17. last — finally
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. firm — a company
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. rush — hurry

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