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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. row — a line
  3. cue — for pool
  4. cue — a signal
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. spring — of water
  7. firm — a company
  8. ball — a great time
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — to paddle
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cue — a hint
  14. ball — a dance
  15. charge — electricity
  16. firm — steady
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — the season
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. charge — in control
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. charge — a price
  23. kick — in football
  24. kick — a thrill

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