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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — decided
  4. file — a document
  5. deal — to handle
  6. spring — of water
  7. key — in music
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. key — for a lock
  10. pit — a hole
  11. hand — help
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. file — a tool
  14. firm — a company
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — the most important part
  17. firm — steady
  18. pit — in a race
  19. spring — a coil
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. spring — the season
  24. file — a line of people

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