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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cap — a hat
  3. firm — steady
  4. tube — the underground
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. tube — a container
  8. firm — a company
  9. cap — of ice
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. object — a thing
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. wake — a trail
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — a lid
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. prune — to trim
  19. object — to protest
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. object — an aim

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