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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 116 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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. face — to confront
  3. face — to point toward
  4. mate — a partner
  5. degree — from a university
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. club — a group
  8. degree — temperature
  9. club — for golf
  10. rule — a law
  11. firm — a company
  12. charge — a price
  13. rule — government
  14. mate — to breed
  15. degree — an amount
  16. club — for dancing
  17. charge — electricity
  18. face — part of the head
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. mate — a friend
  21. charge — in control
  22. firm — decided
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rule — to rule out

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