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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mine — for digging
  4. firm — steady
  5. bank — for money
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. charge — a price
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. key — in music
  11. key — the most important part
  12. firm — a company
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bank — for money
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bank — of a river
  17. pit — a hole
  18. last — to go on
  19. last — final
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — electricity
  23. last — finally
  24. dip — a sauce

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