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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 ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  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. net — in sport
  2. row — a line
  3. firm — a company
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pit — a hole
  6. face — to confront
  7. pit — in a race
  8. suit — clothes
  9. can — a tin
  10. firm — decided
  11. net — after costs
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. can — a tin
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. row — to paddle
  16. net — for catching
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. face — part of the head
  19. face — to point toward
  20. can — to be able to
  21. suit — to fit
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  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