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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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. rash — hasty
  4. chair — a leader
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. track — a path
  7. fall — the season
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. tube — a container
  10. firm — steady
  11. track — to keep track
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. rash — a series
  15. band — a music group
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fall — to drop
  19. track — a song
  20. fall — to drop
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. tube — the underground
  24. band — a ring

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