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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. pit — in a race
  4. firm — steady
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. dip — to sink
  12. firm — decided
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stem — to come from
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. firm — a company
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pit — a hole
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stand — for spectators

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