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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. march — the month
  3. present — a gift
  4. march — music
  5. present — the time now
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. staff — employees
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hand — in cards
  11. staff — employees
  12. present — there
  13. bore — to drill
  14. club — a group
  15. staff — a stick
  16. club — for dancing
  17. firm — a company
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. hand — help
  20. bore — to tire
  21. club — for golf
  22. march — the month
  23. firm — steady
  24. plane — in geometry

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