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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 116 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. face — to confront
  3. firm — decided
  4. court — of law
  5. firm — steady
  6. lean — to bend
  7. pop — soda
  8. court — of a king
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. pop — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. court — for sport
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. pop — to visit
  15. face — part of the head
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lean — thin
  20. firm — a company
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. rock — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. ruler — for measuring

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