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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. net — for catching
  4. net — after costs
  5. snap — to click
  6. firm — a company
  7. board — to get on
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. pound — a weight
  11. root — of a word
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. net — in sport
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. board — a committee
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. root — the cause
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. root — of a plant
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — decided
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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