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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lean — to bend
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. kid — to tease
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lean — thin
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. chair — a leader
  16. firm — decided
  17. ground — the earth
  18. toast — bread
  19. firm — a company
  20. kid — child
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. lean — to rest against

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