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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. firm — decided
  2. can — to be able to
  3. charge — electricity
  4. firm — a company
  5. face — to confront
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. face — to point toward
  8. firm — steady
  9. cue — a hint
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. charge — a price
  12. court — of a king
  13. cue — for pool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cue — a signal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. charge — in control
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — part of the head
  23. court — for sport
  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