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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. drill — a practice
  3. firm — steady
  4. key — in music
  5. rock — a stone
  6. key — for a lock
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. drill — army training
  9. firm — decided
  10. drill — the tool
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. season — of the year
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. key — the most important part
  16. lean — to bend
  17. date — the fruit
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. rock — music
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lean — thin
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. season — in sport

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