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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. firm — steady
  3. scale — size or range
  4. face — part of the head
  5. scale — in music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. net — after costs
  8. suit — clothes
  9. prune — to trim
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. firm — decided
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. firm — a company
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ball — a great time
  17. suit — to fit
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. net — for catching
  21. face — to point toward
  22. prune — to trim
  23. net — in sport
  24. face — to confront

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