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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. scale — in music
  4. suit — to fit
  5. firm — decided
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wound — an injury
  10. sharp — clever
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. firm — steady
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. scale — size or range
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. mine — for digging
  23. suit — in cards
  24. wound — an injury

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