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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. key — in music
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. key — the most important part
  7. field — for sport
  8. deal — to handle
  9. firm — decided
  10. craft — boats
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. field — a subject
  13. land — a country
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. wound — an injury
  16. key — for a lock
  17. land — to come down
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wound — an injury
  21. field — farmland
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. firm — a company
  24. land — ground

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