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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. game — a match
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. bulb — for light
  11. firm — a company
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — what's left
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. rest — a break
  16. firm — steady
  17. rush — hurry
  18. mark — a grade
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — to pay attention

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