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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — decided
  3. key — in music
  4. present — the time now
  5. saw — the tool
  6. firm — a company
  7. lie — to recline
  8. key — for a lock
  9. firm — steady
  10. root — of a word
  11. row — to paddle
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. root — of a plant
  14. row — a line
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. key — the most important part
  17. saw — the tool
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. root — the cause
  22. present — there
  23. present — a gift
  24. wave — of the sea

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