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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. fall — the season
  3. chest — a box
  4. rest — a break
  5. mug — a face
  6. firm — decided
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mug — to rob
  10. band — a music group
  11. rest — what's left
  12. suit — in cards
  13. suit — to fit
  14. chest — of your body
  15. mug — a cup
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. fall — to drop
  18. suit — clothes
  19. firm — steady
  20. sharp — clever
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. band — a ring
  23. firm — a company
  24. chest — of your body

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