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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. key — in music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mine — for digging
  8. firm — steady
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. key — for a lock
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. fall — the season
  15. saw — the tool
  16. kick — in football
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — a company
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. fall — to drop
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. present — the time now
  23. fall — to drop
  24. key — the most important part

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