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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. spell — letters
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. firm — steady
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. firm — a company
  10. chair — a leader
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. spell — a short time
  14. drill — army training
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. drill — the tool
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spell — magic
  23. fine — all right
  24. drill — a practice

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