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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 116 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pop — soda
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. last — to go on
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — to visit
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pop — music
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. last — finally
  14. firm — steady
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — final
  19. tube — the underground
  20. chair — a leader
  21. firm — a company
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. rock — music
  24. tube — a container

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