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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. firm — decided
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. wound — an injury
  5. fine — high quality
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. deal — to handle
  10. fine — all right
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. firm — a company
  15. ground — the earth
  16. wound — an injury
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. firm — steady
  23. ground — a position
  24. nail — for a hammer

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