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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. clip — for paper
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. clip — a video
  10. tube — a container
  11. mug — a face
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mug — to rob
  14. tube — the underground
  15. mug — a cup
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. firm — a company
  18. object — a thing
  19. object — to protest
  20. plane — a tool
  21. clip — to cut
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. object — an aim

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