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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. spell — magic
  4. cue — a hint
  5. craft — boats
  6. ground — the earth
  7. last — finally
  8. wound — an injury
  9. ground — crushed
  10. tube — a container
  11. last — to go on
  12. cue — a signal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. ground — a position
  15. last — final
  16. spell — a short time
  17. wound — an injury
  18. firm — steady
  19. spell — letters
  20. tube — the underground
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. firm — a company
  23. craft — a skill
  24. cue — for pool

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