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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. face — to point toward
  6. firm — steady
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. firm — decided
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. net — after costs
  11. race — a contest
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. race — humankind
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — in sport
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. race — the arms race
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to confront

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