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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. object — an aim
  3. wind — moving air
  4. present — the time now
  5. wind — moving air
  6. present — there
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. object — a thing
  9. ball — a dance
  10. present — a gift
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. firm — steady
  13. charge — in control
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — a company
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fall — the season
  20. object — to protest
  21. fall — to drop
  22. snap — to click
  23. ball — a great time
  24. fall — to drop

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