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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. firm — decided
  3. track — a path
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. tube — a container
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. track — to keep track
  8. date — the fruit
  9. firm — a company
  10. tube — the underground
  11. track — a song
  12. firm — steady
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. tube — in a tire

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