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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. face — to confront
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. firm — decided
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. land — to come down
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. suit — in cards
  10. face — to point toward
  11. firm — steady
  12. face — part of the head
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. last — to go on
  15. land — ground
  16. kick — in football
  17. suit — to fit
  18. firm — a company
  19. last — finally
  20. last — final
  21. stem — to come from
  22. deal — to handle
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. land — a country

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