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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. firm — decided
  3. foot — a measure
  4. current — electric
  5. rule — government
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rule — a law
  9. current — happening now
  10. hand — help
  11. firm — steady
  12. current — of water
  13. fine — high quality
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. hand — in cards
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — a company
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. vault — a safe

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