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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 120 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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. firm — steady
  3. content — happy
  4. mark — a grade
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mark — a trace
  12. key — in music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. key — for a lock
  18. content — the amount
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. key — the most important part
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — a company
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. squash — to crush

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