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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. cell — in biology
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — bread
  7. firm — decided
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bear — the animal
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bear — the animal
  12. firm — a company
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pitch — completely
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. kick — in football
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. sharp — with an edge

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