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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. land — a country
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. firm — a company
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. cue — for pool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. land — to come down
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — a line
  12. cue — a hint
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. firm — steady
  15. row — to paddle
  16. fine — all right
  17. cue — a signal
  18. bark — to shout
  19. land — ground
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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