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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — a box
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. mark — a trace
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. firm — a company
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. chest — of your body
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. object — an aim
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. firm — decided
  19. object — a thing
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. object — to protest
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. temple — side of the head

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