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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — steady
  3. cap — of ice
  4. file — a line of people
  5. court — of a king
  6. court — for sport
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. snap — to click
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. file — a tool
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. file — a document
  16. firm — decided
  17. suit — clothes
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. cap — a lid
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. cap — a hat
  22. court — of law
  23. stem — to come from
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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