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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.

Make a worksheet

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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. ball — a great time
  3. firm — steady
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. rash — hasty
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. press — to push
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. press — newspapers
  13. firm — decided
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rash — a series
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. sharp — clever
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. press — a publisher
  24. racket — for tennis

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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