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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. chest — of your body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. game — wild animals
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. chest — a box
  12. fine — high quality
  13. bear — the animal
  14. firm — steady
  15. vault — a safe
  16. firm — decided
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. chest — of your body
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. game — a match

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