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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. rock — a stone
  9. toast — bread
  10. cap — a lid
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. firm — a company
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. rock — music
  17. firm — decided
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. date — the fruit
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. pitch — completely

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