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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. last — finally
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. game — wild animals
  6. game — a match
  7. saw — the tool
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. last — to go on
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rest — what's left
  16. last — final
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. firm — a company
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — the tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. pound — a weight
  24. bore — to tire

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