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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. march — the month
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — a company
  9. fine — all right
  10. march — the month
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — there
  15. pitch — completely
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — a list
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. fine — high quality
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. present — a gift
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. march — music

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