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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. firm — steady
  3. tube — the underground
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. firm — decided
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. rule — government
  8. rest — what's left
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. tube — a container
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. dip — to sink
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. firm — a company
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rule — a law
  21. bat — the animal
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. dip — a sauce

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