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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. firm — a company
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. file — a line of people
  11. tube — a container
  12. tube — the underground
  13. file — a document
  14. file — a tool
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pound — a weight
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. plane — a tool
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. firm — steady
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. stand — to bear
  24. plane — an aircraft

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