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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. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. press — to push
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — part of the head
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. stem — to come from
  13. press — newspapers
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. press — a publisher
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. face — to point toward
  18. ball — a great time
  19. firm — decided
  20. face — to confront
  21. cell — in biology
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. cell — a phone

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