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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. lie — to recline
  3. firm — a company
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. firm — steady
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — temperature
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pop — to visit
  12. rest — what's left
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — soda
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. degree — from a university
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lean — to bend
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lean — thin
  22. rest — a break
  23. pop — music
  24. firm — decided

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