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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. spring — a coil
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. track — to keep track
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — to eat
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wax — to grow
  15. mark — a trace
  16. track — a path
  17. firm — a company
  18. mark — a grade
  19. track — a song
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. chip — for betting
  23. firm — steady
  24. temple — side of the head

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