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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. band — a music group
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. firm — decided
  5. present — a gift
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. content — happy
  10. kick — in football
  11. pit — in a race
  12. content — the amount
  13. firm — a company
  14. present — there
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. bear — the animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. pit — a hole
  19. band — a ring
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. kick — a thrill

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