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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. firm — steady
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. firm — a company
  8. ball — a dance
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. game — wild animals
  18. firm — decided
  19. game — a match
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. kick — in football
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. ball — a great time

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