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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 124 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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. bound — obliged
  3. deal — to handle
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. clip — to cut
  7. clip — a video
  8. tube — the underground
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. tube — a container
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. firm — steady
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — a company
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. bound — tied together
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bound — certain
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — in music
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. plane — a tool
  24. fan — a supporter

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