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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. firm — a company
  3. snap — to click
  4. firm — decided
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. present — there
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. fork — in a road
  9. firm — steady
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. toast — bread
  14. race — a contest
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. present — a gift
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. race — the arms race
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. race — humankind
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mark — a trace
  24. ruler — for measuring

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