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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. last — to go on
  6. present — there
  7. last — finally
  8. can — to be able to
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to confront
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. wake — a trail
  15. last — final
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. can — a tin
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pop — soda
  21. can — a tin
  22. face — to point toward
  23. pop — music
  24. bear — the animal

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