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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. rest — what's left
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. board — to get on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. face — part of the head
  8. face — to point toward
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. prune — to trim
  11. face — to confront
  12. firm — decided
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. firm — a company
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. kick — in football
  17. pit — in a race
  18. prune — to trim
  19. rest — a break
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pit — a hole
  22. sharp — clever
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. board — a committee

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