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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. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. current — of water
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. current — happening now
  7. firm — decided
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. date — the fruit
  10. mine — for digging
  11. current — electric
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. suit — in cards
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — of law
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. firm — a company
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. court — for sport

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