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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. craft — a skill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. craft — boats
  5. object — a thing
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. file — a document
  10. file — a tool
  11. object — to protest
  12. file — a line of people
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. cue — a hint
  15. firm — a company
  16. object — an aim
  17. charge — electricity
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — in control
  21. cue — a signal
  22. pitch — completely
  23. cue — for pool
  24. firm — steady

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