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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. bear — the animal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. firm — steady
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mug — a face
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. wind — moving air
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. firm — a company
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. mug — a cup
  13. mug — to rob
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. firm — decided
  16. wind — moving air
  17. net — in sport
  18. fine — all right
  19. net — after costs
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bear — the animal
  23. net — for catching
  24. pitch — completely

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