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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. can — to be able to
  3. chest — of your body
  4. ball — a great time
  5. chest — a box
  6. pop — to visit
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pop — soda
  9. track — a song
  10. track — a path
  11. ball — a dance
  12. can — a tin
  13. track — to keep track
  14. firm — decided
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. pop — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. charge — a price
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. firm — a company
  24. ball — a round shape

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