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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — a company
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. present — there
  6. object — to protest
  7. suit — to fit
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. present — a gift
  10. land — to come down
  11. chair — a leader
  12. present — the time now
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. suit — clothes
  15. object — an aim
  16. suit — in cards
  17. firm — decided
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. land — a country
  20. object — a thing
  21. land — ground
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — a big deal

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