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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. firm — a company
  3. net — in sport
  4. face — part of the head
  5. face — to confront
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. spring — a coil
  8. net — after costs
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stock — shares
  12. present — a gift
  13. face — to point toward
  14. present — there
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — the season
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — steady
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. net — for catching
  24. firm — decided

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