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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. season — in sport
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. firm — decided
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. firm — steady
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. pass — a permit
  13. chest — of your body
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. season — of the year
  16. chest — of your body
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. chest — a box

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