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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. track — a path
  5. fine — all right
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. kid — to tease
  8. track — a song
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. kid — child
  11. cold — not warm
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. track — to keep track
  15. firm — a company
  16. cold — an illness
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. firm — steady
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. fine — high quality

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