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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. firm — decided
  3. chair — a leader
  4. bound — certain
  5. firm — steady
  6. cue — a signal
  7. ball — a great time
  8. cue — a hint
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. bound — tied together
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. mate — to breed
  13. cue — for pool
  14. mate — a partner
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ball — a dance
  17. fine — all right
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. fine — high quality
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bound — obliged
  23. mate — a friend
  24. game — a match

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