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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 120 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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. track — a path
  3. key — for a lock
  4. firm — decided
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. track — a song
  7. face — to confront
  8. bound — certain
  9. key — in music
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. stem — to come from
  12. bound — obliged
  13. game — a match
  14. face — part of the head
  15. face — to point toward
  16. track — to keep track
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. bound — tied together
  20. key — the most important part
  21. firm — a company
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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