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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. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. face — to point toward
  3. firm — decided
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. face — part of the head
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. firm — steady
  9. file — a document
  10. tube — the underground
  11. bass — the fish
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. face — to confront
  15. fine — all right
  16. sharp — clever
  17. file — a line of people
  18. tube — a container
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. file — a tool
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. bass — low music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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