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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. net — after costs
  3. net — for catching
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. firm — a company
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pass — a permit
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. spell — a short time
  19. spell — letters
  20. firm — decided
  21. swing — to play on
  22. net — in sport
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. spell — magic

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