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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — a trace
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. firm — steady
  7. stand — to bear
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. firm — decided
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — of the year
  16. season — in sport
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. date — the fruit
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. deal — to handle
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. arm — part of the body

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