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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. present — a gift
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. pass — a permit
  6. content — happy
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. firm — decided
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. content — the amount
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. firm — steady
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rest — what's left
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. deal — to handle
  23. present — there
  24. firm — a company

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