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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  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 — steady
  2. firm — decided
  3. pop — soda
  4. rock — a stone
  5. land — ground
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. land — a country
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pop — music
  14. pit — in a race
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rock — music
  18. kick — in football
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. land — to come down
  23. pit — a hole
  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