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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. pound — a weight
  4. firm — steady
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. club — a group
  7. patient — calm and waiting
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. firm — a company
  10. club — for golf
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. club — for dancing
  17. saw — the tool
  18. staff — employees
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bound — certain
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — tied together
  24. pound — for dogs

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