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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. saw — the tool
  3. firm — a company
  4. charge — electricity
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. spell — a short time
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cap — a lid
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. charge — a price
  14. kick — in football
  15. cap — a hat
  16. cap — of ice
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. spell — letters
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. firm — decided
  22. spell — magic
  23. charge — in control
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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