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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. firm — a company
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. firm — decided
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rest — what's left
  8. key — in music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pound — a weight
  13. stand — to bear
  14. firm — steady
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. chip — for betting
  17. lie — to recline
  18. key — the most important part
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rest — a break
  21. key — for a lock
  22. chip — to eat
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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