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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. firm — steady
  3. roll — a list
  4. rock — music
  5. firm — a company
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. rock — a stone
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rest — a break
  18. pass — a permit
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. firm — decided
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. pitch — completely

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