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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. object — an aim
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. row — to paddle
  5. track — a song
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. object — to protest
  8. row — a line
  9. object — a thing
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. band — a music group
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — steady
  17. stand — to bear
  18. track — to keep track
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. band — a ring
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. squash — the sport
  23. firm — decided
  24. track — a path

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