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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. stand — to bear
  3. cap — a hat
  4. ball — a dance
  5. firm — a company
  6. ball — a great time
  7. cap — a lid
  8. cap — of ice
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. firm — steady
  13. firm — decided
  14. pit — a hole
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. rock — a stone
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rock — music

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