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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. firm — decided
  4. ball — a great time
  5. firm — steady
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. chip — for betting
  9. rush — hurry
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. band — a music group
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. ball — a dance
  16. firm — a company
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. spring — the season
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stand — to bear
  22. band — a ring
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. chip — to eat

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