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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. saw — the tool
  3. land — ground
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mug — a face
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — to rob
  10. firm — decided
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. firm — a company
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. land — a country
  16. land — to come down
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mug — a cup

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