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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. fine — high quality
  3. firm — decided
  4. face — part of the head
  5. firm — steady
  6. current — happening now
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. swing — to play on
  10. current — of water
  11. ground — crushed
  12. fine — all right
  13. ground — a position
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. swing — music
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. face — to point toward
  19. current — electric
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. firm — a company
  22. swing — in golf
  23. ground — the earth
  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