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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. charge — a price
  5. firm — decided
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — an aim
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. charge — in control
  11. stand — to bear
  12. content — the amount
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. object — to protest
  16. charge — electricity
  17. firm — a company
  18. lie — to recline
  19. mine — for digging
  20. object — a thing
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. firm — steady
  24. wave — with your hand

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