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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. saw — the tool
  4. game — a match
  5. fine — all right
  6. wake — a trail
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. game — wild animals
  10. staff — employees
  11. rule — government
  12. firm — decided
  13. rule — a law
  14. fine — high quality
  15. firm — steady
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. staff — a stick
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. staff — employees
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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