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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. firm — decided
  3. rush — hurry
  4. firm — steady
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. tear — from crying
  8. net — in sport
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — a face
  11. tear — from crying
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — a company
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. net — after costs
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pitch — completely
  20. tear — to rip
  21. mug — to rob
  22. date — the fruit
  23. net — for catching
  24. rush — to hurry

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