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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. firm — a company
  3. row — a line
  4. key — for a lock
  5. firm — steady
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. march — the month
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. march — the month
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — decided
  15. perch — the fish
  16. row — to paddle
  17. plane — a tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. march — music
  23. key — in music
  24. fan — to cool the air

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