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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. fine — high quality
  4. firm — decided
  5. dip — to sink
  6. firm — steady
  7. spell — a short time
  8. current — happening now
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. fine — all right
  11. spell — magic
  12. bound — obliged
  13. current — electric
  14. current — of water
  15. firm — a company
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. bound — certain
  19. rest — what's left
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bound — tied together
  24. spell — letters

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