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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 120 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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. chest — a box
  7. firm — steady
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. can — a tin
  10. press — to push
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. degree — an amount
  13. press — newspapers
  14. degree — temperature
  15. chest — of your body
  16. sharp — clever
  17. chest — of your body
  18. degree — from a university
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. firm — a company
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. press — a publisher

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