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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. fork — in a road
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. present — the time now
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. present — there
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. present — a gift
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. band — a ring
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. pass — a permit
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. firm — decided
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. band — a music group
  24. firm — a company

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