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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. plane — a tool
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. bound — certain
  12. bank — for money
  13. bound — tied together
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pass — a permit
  16. bound — obliged
  17. lie — to recline
  18. bank — of a river
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. firm — steady
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bank — for money
  24. saw — the tool

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