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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. key — for a lock
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. key — the most important part
  6. rush — hurry
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. ground — a position
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wake — a trail
  12. board — to get on
  13. key — in music
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. firm — a company
  19. board — a committee
  20. firm — steady
  21. mark — a grade
  22. ground — the earth
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. ground — crushed

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