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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. bank — for money
  5. bank — of a river
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. foot — a measure
  8. firm — a company
  9. march — the month
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. deal — to handle
  12. drill — army training
  13. drill — a practice
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bank — for money
  18. drill — the tool
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. march — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. march — the month
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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