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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. rest — a break
  4. deal — to handle
  5. lean — thin
  6. dip — to sink
  7. firm — steady
  8. capital — a city
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. stem — a stem cell
  11. stem — to come from
  12. rest — what's left
  13. firm — a company
  14. kick — in football
  15. capital — money
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. lean — to bend

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