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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — steady
  4. capital — money
  5. track — a song
  6. firm — a company
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — to bear
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. root — the cause
  11. pop — to visit
  12. track — to keep track
  13. root — of a word
  14. track — a path
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pop — soda
  18. band — a ring
  19. band — a music group
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rock — music
  22. pop — music
  23. capital — a city
  24. rock — a stone

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