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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. toast — bread
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. firm — decided
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. wound — an injury
  7. ball — a dance
  8. net — after costs
  9. wound — an injury
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. firm — a company
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. roll — a list
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. net — for catching
  20. ball — a great time
  21. net — in sport
  22. roll — a cake
  23. date — the fruit
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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