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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. rule — government
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fine — all right
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — a price
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. dip — to sink
  11. lie — to recline
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. fine — high quality
  15. charge — electricity
  16. firm — decided
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. rule — a law
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. bat — the animal

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