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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. firm — steady
  3. swing — music
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rest — what's left
  7. swing — to play on
  8. rest — a break
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. lie — to recline
  21. firm — a company
  22. firm — decided
  23. bear — the animal
  24. lie — an untruth

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