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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. firm — decided
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. firm — steady
  5. mine — for digging
  6. mate — a partner
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. firm — a company
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. mate — to breed
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mate — a friend
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ball — a dance
  18. mine — an explosive

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