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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  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 — decided
  2. bear — the animal
  3. firm — steady
  4. cue — for pool
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. object — an aim
  8. object — a thing
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. cue — a hint
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. object — to protest
  16. cue — a signal
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. bear — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. firm — a company
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. ruler — a monarch
  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