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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. cap — a hat
  5. key — for a lock
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. firm — a company
  11. craft — a skill
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. key — the most important part
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. key — in music
  19. staff — employees
  20. game — a match
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. game — wild animals
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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