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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. dip — to sink
  3. rash — a series
  4. rash — hasty
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. prune — to trim
  7. ball — a great time
  8. pitch — completely
  9. hand — help
  10. firm — a company
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. ball — a dance
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. firm — decided
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. hand — in cards
  24. prune — to trim

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