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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. drill — a practice
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bank — of a river
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — army training
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. firm — a company
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. bank — for money
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bank — for money
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. clip — to cut
  23. clip — for paper
  24. clip — a video

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