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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. fork — in a road
  4. land — a country
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. spell — a short time
  11. rash — a series
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — magic
  14. land — ground
  15. cap — a hat
  16. charge — a price
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. charge — electricity
  19. charge — in control
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rash — hasty
  22. land — to come down
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. spell — letters

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