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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. sharp — clever
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. key — the most important part
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — in music
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ground — crushed
  18. ground — a position
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cue — a signal
  22. firm — steady
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. ground — the earth

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