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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. firm — decided
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. net — for catching
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — part of the head
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. game — a match
  9. game — wild animals
  10. hand — help
  11. hand — in cards
  12. mug — a face
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. face — to point toward
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. face — to confront
  18. mug — a cup
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. firm — steady
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. net — after costs
  24. mug — to rob

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