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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 116 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — a company
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. march — the month
  5. kick — in football
  6. can — a tin
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. ball — a dance
  9. can — to be able to
  10. march — the month
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. firm — steady
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to confront
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. can — a tin
  22. march — music
  23. ball — a great time
  24. kick — with a leg

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