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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. firm — steady
  3. cell — in biology
  4. firm — decided
  5. track — a path
  6. face — to point toward
  7. firm — a company
  8. rest — a break
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. date — the fruit
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. cell — a phone
  13. pop — to visit
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rest — what's left
  19. face — to confront
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. track — a song
  22. face — part of the head
  23. track — to keep track
  24. hide — to keep secret

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