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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pass — a permit
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. present — the time now
  11. mate — a friend
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. present — there
  15. present — a gift
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — decided
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mate — to breed
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. pass — to succeed

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