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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. row — a line
  4. firm — steady
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mate — a friend
  7. firm — decided
  8. staff — a stick
  9. firm — a company
  10. staff — employees
  11. row — to paddle
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. mate — to breed
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. suit — to fit
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. mate — a partner
  24. nail — on a finger

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