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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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. tear — to rip
  4. content — happy
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. firm — steady
  7. pass — a permit
  8. tear — from crying
  9. pound — a weight
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. content — the amount
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. firm — decided
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. cap — of ice
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cap — a hat
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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