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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. firm — steady
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. can — a tin
  6. ground — a position
  7. board — to get on
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. can — to be able to
  10. suit — clothes
  11. can — a tin
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. ground — crushed
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — to fit
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. snap — to click
  18. firm — decided
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. suit — in cards
  21. board — a committee
  22. scale — in music
  23. ground — the earth
  24. firm — a company

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