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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. firm — decided
  5. row — a line
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pound — a weight
  13. chair — a leader
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. row — to paddle
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. firm — steady
  20. vault — a safe
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. pound — for dogs

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