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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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. pit — in a race
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chair — a leader
  11. date — the fruit
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. fork — in a road
  16. firm — steady
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. calf — a young animal

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