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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 116 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. firm — a company
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. firm — steady
  9. kick — in football
  10. fine — high quality
  11. fine — all right
  12. mine — for digging
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. stem — to come from
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. firm — decided
  22. game — wild animals
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. craft — boats

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