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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 had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. row — to paddle
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. club — a group
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. firm — a company
  7. face — to confront
  8. race — a contest
  9. face — part of the head
  10. staff — a stick
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. race — humankind
  13. club — for dancing
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. staff — employees
  16. firm — decided
  17. face — to point toward
  18. staff — employees
  19. row — a line
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. club — for golf
  24. race — the arms race

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