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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bass — the fish
  3. vault — a safe
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — the time now
  6. bank — of a river
  7. bass — low music
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. present — there
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. cue — for pool
  12. firm — decided
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. plane — a tool
  15. cue — a hint
  16. last — to go on
  17. bank — for money
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — final
  20. bank — for money
  21. cue — a signal
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. last — finally

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