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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. rush — hurry
  6. firm — steady
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. firm — a company
  9. row — to paddle
  10. date — the fruit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. row — a line
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. firm — decided
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pass — a permit

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