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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. hand — in cards
  3. firm — a company
  4. dip — to sink
  5. suit — to fit
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. suit — in cards
  9. hand — help
  10. suit — clothes
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. chair — a leader
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ball — a great time
  15. firm — decided
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — there
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. last — final
  23. ball — a dance
  24. firm — steady

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