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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. mark — a trace
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. club — for dancing
  7. firm — decided
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. mark — a grade
  11. scale — in music
  12. row — a line
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. wound — an injury
  16. tube — the underground
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. row — to paddle
  19. tube — a container
  20. club — a group
  21. scale — size or range
  22. wound — an injury
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. club — for golf

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