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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. track — a path
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. track — a song
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. track — to keep track
  11. saw — the tool
  12. firm — a company
  13. march — the month
  14. key — in music
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. key — for a lock
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. key — the most important part

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