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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ground — the earth
  9. wind — moving air
  10. firm — a company
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. ground — crushed
  16. firm — steady
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ground — a position
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pass — to spend time

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