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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 120 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's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. last — to go on
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — a hint
  5. suit — in cards
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. firm — a company
  8. last — final
  9. branch — a division
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bear — the animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. last — finally
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. firm — decided
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. cue — for pool
  24. suit — to fit

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