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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 be taking the ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. kick — in football
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. rash — a series
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rash — hasty
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tube — a container
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mark — a trace
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. firm — a company
  24. cabinet — ministers

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