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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pass — a permit
  3. land — to come down
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. deal — to handle
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — decided
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. branch — a division
  16. squash — to crush
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. tube — a container
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — the sport
  22. tube — the underground
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. branch — of a bank

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