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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 124 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pop — soda
  3. firm — decided
  4. land — to come down
  5. can — a tin
  6. land — a country
  7. mug — to rob
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. court — of law
  10. court — for sport
  11. can — a tin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. land — ground
  15. pop — music
  16. mug — a cup
  17. firm — steady
  18. pop — to visit
  19. lie — to recline
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. mug — a face
  22. can — to be able to
  23. court — of a king
  24. calf — a young animal

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