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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. pit — in a race
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — steady
  6. wind — moving air
  7. face — part of the head
  8. firm — decided
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. face — to point toward
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. suit — to fit
  17. mine — for digging
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pit — a hole
  20. face — to confront
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wind — moving air
  23. firm — a company
  24. mine — belonging to me

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