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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. last — to go on
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mug — a face
  8. craft — a skill
  9. board — to get on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. firm — steady
  12. last — finally
  13. mug — a cup
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. firm — a company
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mug — to rob
  18. craft — boats
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. board — a committee
  22. last — final
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. dip — to sink

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