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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. drill — the tool
  3. can — to be able to
  4. saw — the tool
  5. can — a tin
  6. stand — to bear
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pit — a hole
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. saw — the tool
  13. can — a tin
  14. firm — a company
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. firm — steady
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. snap — to click
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. bowl — to roll

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