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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cue — a hint
  3. mate — a partner
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. object — an aim
  6. lean — thin
  7. mate — to breed
  8. cue — for pool
  9. craft — boats
  10. object — a thing
  11. cue — a signal
  12. pop — music
  13. mate — a friend
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. lean — to bend
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. wound — an injury
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. pop — to visit
  23. object — to protest
  24. pop — soda

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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