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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 124 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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. firm — steady
  4. toast — bread
  5. season — in sport
  6. face — to confront
  7. firm — a company
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. court — for sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. court — of a king
  15. face — part of the head
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. firm — decided
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. face — to point toward
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. season — of the year
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. court — of law

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