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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mark — a trace
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. spring — of water
  9. firm — a company
  10. last — finally
  11. spring — a coil
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. deal — to handle
  14. firm — decided
  15. spring — the season
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mark — a grade
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. last — final
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — a container
  24. last — to go on

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