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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 124 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. file — a document
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mug — a cup
  7. firm — steady
  8. mug — to rob
  9. firm — a company
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. last — finally
  15. last — to go on
  16. file — a line of people
  17. snap — to click
  18. file — a tool
  19. track — a song
  20. last — final
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mug — a face
  24. track — a path

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