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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mug — a face
  3. mug — a cup
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — music
  7. can — to be able to
  8. spell — magic
  9. can — a tin
  10. spell — a short time
  11. present — a gift
  12. pass — a permit
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — the time now
  15. spell — letters
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pop — soda
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. mug — to rob
  21. firm — decided
  22. can — a tin
  23. pop — to visit
  24. present — there

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