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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. mate — a partner
  3. firm — a company
  4. present — there
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. mate — a friend
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pop — music
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mate — to breed
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. firm — decided
  17. present — a gift
  18. pass — a permit
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. pop — to visit
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. pop — soda
  23. present — the time now
  24. pitcher — a jug

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