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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. last — finally
  3. pop — to visit
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. firm — a company
  7. fork — in a road
  8. firm — steady
  9. last — to go on
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. pop — soda
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. last — final
  15. pop — music
  16. pass — a permit
  17. firm — decided
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. wake — a trail
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. board — to get on
  24. board — a committee

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