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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. sharp — clever
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. object — an aim
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rash — a series
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. scale — in music
  12. firm — steady
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. pitch — completely
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. object — a thing
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. rash — hasty
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. object — to protest
  24. firm — decided

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