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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. mark — a grade
  3. present — there
  4. rest — a break
  5. bank — for money
  6. rest — what's left
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bank — for money
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. firm — decided
  14. present — the time now
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rest — what's left
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. ball — a dance
  22. present — a gift
  23. firm — steady
  24. bank — of a river

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