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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. object — a thing
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. shower — rain
  7. firm — a company
  8. degree — temperature
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. field — for sport
  11. degree — an amount
  12. shower — to wash
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. firm — decided
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. field — farmland
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. net — after costs
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. field — a subject
  22. degree — from a university
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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