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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. firm — steady
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. firm — a company
  6. pop — music
  7. track — to keep track
  8. firm — decided
  9. bound — tied together
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. pop — soda
  12. game — a match
  13. track — a path
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. bound — obliged
  19. rash — hasty
  20. game — wild animals
  21. track — a song
  22. snap — to click
  23. bound — certain
  24. pitch — completely

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