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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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. cell — a phone
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. march — the month
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. cell — in biology
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. ground — the earth
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. march — music
  14. dip — to sink
  15. fine — high quality
  16. march — the month
  17. ground — crushed
  18. firm — a company
  19. fine — all right
  20. ground — a position
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. firm — steady
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. fine — a penalty

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