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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 120 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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. present — a gift
  3. present — there
  4. ground — the earth
  5. craft — a skill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. march — the month
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. march — music
  10. firm — a company
  11. ground — a position
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. march — the month
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. craft — boats
  16. sharp — clever
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bulb — for light
  19. present — the time now
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. ground — crushed
  22. bulb — for light
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. firm — steady

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