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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — boats
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — decided
  5. key — in music
  6. bass — low music
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. craft — a skill
  9. key — the most important part
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pass — a permit
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. staff — a stick
  18. game — a match
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bass — the fish
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. staff — employees
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. staff — employees

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