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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. firm — a company
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. firm — decided
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. club — a group
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. saw — the tool
  11. chair — a leader
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. firm — steady
  18. club — for dancing
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. club — for golf
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. saw — the tool
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rush — hurry

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