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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. row — to paddle
  4. toast — bread
  5. lie — to recline
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. row — a line
  8. chest — of your body
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. roll — a list
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. chest — a box
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. roll — a cake
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. ball — a dance
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. firm — steady
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. ball — a great time
  21. chest — of your body
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. firm — a company

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