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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. pit — in a race
  3. firm — a company
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. rest — a break
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. rest — what's left
  12. spring — of water
  13. rest — what's left
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — the season
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. lie — to recline
  19. firm — steady
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rush — hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pass — to spend time

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