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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. degree — from a university
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — steady
  6. mate — to breed
  7. firm — decided
  8. roll — a cake
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pop — music
  14. degree — temperature
  15. toast — bread
  16. mate — a friend
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rest — what's left
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. roll — a list
  22. pop — to visit
  23. pop — soda
  24. rest — a break

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