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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. face — to confront
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pitch — completely
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. face — to point toward
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. staff — employees
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. firm — decided
  17. staff — employees
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. snap — to click
  21. firm — a company
  22. staff — a stick
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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