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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. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. shower — to wash
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. game — a match
  7. current — happening now
  8. firm — a company
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pass — a permit
  12. firm — decided
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. current — of water
  21. shower — rain
  22. current — electric
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. pitcher — a jug

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