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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. firm — steady
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. wind — moving air
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. firm — a company
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — a break
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. fine — high quality
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. bulb — for light
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. rest — what's left
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. firm — decided
  22. wind — moving air
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. bulb — for light

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