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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. court — for sport
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. fine — all right
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. content — the amount
  10. court — of a king
  11. toast — bread
  12. track — to keep track
  13. content — happy
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. track — a song
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. track — a path
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. prune — to trim
  23. stand — to bear
  24. court — of law

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