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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. firm — decided
  3. chair — a leader
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. can — a tin
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. spell — letters
  8. firm — a company
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spell — a short time
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. bank — of a river
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. bank — for money
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — steady
  20. bank — for money
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. snap — to click
  24. spell — magic

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