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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. firm — a company
  3. season — of the year
  4. foot — a measure
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. pit — in a race
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. court — of a king
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. pit — a hole
  12. season — in sport
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. court — of law
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — a container
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. tube — the underground
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. firm — decided
  23. court — for sport
  24. hide — animal skin

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