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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. track — to keep track
  3. rest — what's left
  4. shower — rain
  5. bound — certain
  6. spell — magic
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. shower — to wash
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. bound — tied together
  12. rest — a break
  13. firm — steady
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. firm — decided
  20. rest — what's left
  21. spell — a short time
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. spell — letters

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