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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. hand — in cards
  4. rest — what's left
  5. firm — steady
  6. rest — what's left
  7. track — a path
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. track — to keep track
  11. ball — a great time
  12. ball — a dance
  13. hand — help
  14. firm — decided
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. firm — a company
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. track — a song
  20. stand — to bear
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. rest — a break

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