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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. charge — in control
  4. kick — in football
  5. net — in sport
  6. firm — steady
  7. sharp — clever
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bank — of a river
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bank — for money
  14. fine — all right
  15. bank — for money
  16. net — after costs
  17. charge — electricity
  18. charge — a price
  19. net — for catching
  20. fine — high quality
  21. firm — decided
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. fine — a penalty

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