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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. rush — hurry
  3. game — wild animals
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. row — to paddle
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. game — a match
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. firm — decided
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. fine — high quality
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. row — a line
  22. fine — all right
  23. court — for sport
  24. arm — part of the body

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