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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. firm — a company
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bank — for money
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. snap — to click
  14. court — of a king
  15. court — for sport
  16. rush — hurry
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bank — for money
  19. ball — a dance
  20. court — of law
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — a dish

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