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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. stand — to bear
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. firm — decided
  5. face — part of the head
  6. face — to confront
  7. face — to point toward
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. firm — a company
  12. pop — music
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. firm — steady
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. game — wild animals
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pop — soda
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. game — a match
  24. pop — to visit

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