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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. bank — of a river
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bank — for money
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. court — of law
  10. roll — a list
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. firm — a company
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. firm — decided
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bank — for money
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. roll — a cake
  22. court — for sport
  23. court — of a king
  24. mouse — for a computer

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