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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. stand — to bear
  4. band — a music group
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. band — a ring
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. press — newspapers
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. track — a song
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pit — in a race
  13. track — a path
  14. firm — steady
  15. press — a publisher
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. content — happy
  19. content — the amount
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. press — to push
  23. firm — decided
  24. track — to keep track

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