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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. ball — a great time
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. key — the most important part
  8. date — the fruit
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. key — in music
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rule — a law
  13. suit — in cards
  14. rule — government
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. ball — a dance
  19. suit — clothes
  20. key — for a lock
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. firm — decided

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