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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 120 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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fall — to drop
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. last — to go on
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mug — a face
  7. fall — to drop
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — a skill
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — music
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. mug — a cup
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. last — finally
  17. fall — the season
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. last — final
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. craft — boats
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mug — to rob
  24. firm — steady

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