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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 a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. court — of a king
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. key — in music
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mine — for digging
  7. pitch — completely
  8. key — the most important part
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. court — of law
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. court — for sport
  13. firm — a company
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. firm — decided
  23. pass — a permit
  24. pass — to succeed

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