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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 120 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've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cue — for pool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. firm — a company
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. firm — steady
  9. board — to get on
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fine — all right
  15. spell — letters
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. firm — decided
  18. board — a committee
  19. spell — magic
  20. last — to go on
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. last — final
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. last — finally

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