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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. firm — decided
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. ground — crushed
  9. suit — clothes
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. firm — a company
  12. ground — the earth
  13. game — wild animals
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bear — the animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. pop — music
  19. ground — a position
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pop — to visit
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. firm — steady
  24. game — a match

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