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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. court — of law
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. firm — decided
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. snap — to click
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. court — for sport
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. firm — steady
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. pass — a permit
  22. court — of a king
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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