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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. net — in sport
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. firm — a company
  7. charge — a price
  8. net — after costs
  9. fine — all right
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. degree — temperature
  13. net — for catching
  14. bear — the animal
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. degree — an amount
  17. bear — the animal
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. charge — in control
  20. degree — from a university
  21. firm — decided
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — electricity
  24. trunk — of a car

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