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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. season — in sport
  5. firm — steady
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. face — to point toward
  8. bank — for money
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. squash — the sport
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. season — of the year
  13. firm — a company
  14. bank — for money
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. firm — decided
  17. face — to confront
  18. rash — hasty
  19. bank — of a river
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rash — a series
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. face — part of the head
  24. cabinet — ministers

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