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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. tear — from crying
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. track — a song
  5. present — the time now
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. present — a gift
  8. firm — a company
  9. content — the amount
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. cue — a signal
  13. track — a path
  14. present — there
  15. content — happy
  16. rush — hurry
  17. firm — steady
  18. tear — from crying
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cue — for pool
  21. tear — to rip
  22. track — to keep track
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. cue — a hint

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