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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. hand — in cards
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. firm — steady
  7. charge — a price
  8. tube — the underground
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. firm — a company
  12. tube — a container
  13. hand — help
  14. firm — decided
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. charge — in control
  17. stand — to bear
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cold — not warm
  21. charge — electricity
  22. object — an aim
  23. cold — an illness
  24. object — to protest

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