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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. pit — a hole
  4. lean — thin
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. field — for sport
  7. field — a subject
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. pass — a permit
  10. firm — a company
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. swing — in golf
  15. swing — to play on
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. mug — a face
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. swing — music
  21. firm — steady
  22. field — farmland
  23. pit — in a race
  24. lean — to bend

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