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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. wake — a trail
  8. shower — rain
  9. prune — to trim
  10. rest — a break
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. rest — what's left
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bear — the animal
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. saw — the tool
  19. band — a music group
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. band — a ring
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. firm — decided
  24. shower — to wash

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