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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. object — to protest
  5. pass — a permit
  6. object — a thing
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. stem — to come from
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. firm — a company
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. object — an aim
  14. snap — to click
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. firm — steady
  17. bat — the animal
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. suit — clothes
  24. suit — to fit

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