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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. rest — a break
  4. key — the most important part
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rest — what's left
  7. craft — a skill
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. cue — a signal
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. key — in music
  12. cue — a hint
  13. rest — what's left
  14. firm — a company
  15. cell — a phone
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — a weight
  19. cell — in biology
  20. craft — boats
  21. cue — for pool
  22. rash — a series
  23. key — for a lock
  24. rash — on the skin

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