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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. last — finally
  3. bound — tied together
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. firm — steady
  6. last — to go on
  7. firm — decided
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bound — obliged
  10. march — the month
  11. current — of water
  12. current — happening now
  13. bound — certain
  14. march — music
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. last — final
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. firm — a company
  19. current — electric
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — a hole
  22. march — the month
  23. wound — an injury
  24. wound — an injury

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