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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. rush — hurry
  3. court — for sport
  4. firm — decided
  5. file — a line of people
  6. lie — to recline
  7. fine — high quality
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. charge — a price
  10. fine — all right
  11. stem — to come from
  12. court — of law
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. file — a document
  16. file — a tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. firm — a company
  19. charge — electricity
  20. charge — in control
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. court — of a king
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. firm — steady

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