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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. row — a line
  3. net — after costs
  4. season — in sport
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — decided
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. net — for catching
  9. rash — a series
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. row — to paddle
  12. rash — hasty
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. suit — clothes
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — of the year
  18. net — in sport
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. suit — in cards
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. suit — to fit
  24. rash — on the skin

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