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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. toast — bread
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. firm — decided
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. present — there
  10. firm — a company
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. court — for sport
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. court — of a king
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. rush — hurry
  21. court — of law
  22. kick — in football
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. calf — a young animal

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