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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. season — of the year
  4. firm — decided
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. fall — the season
  7. tube — a container
  8. fall — to drop
  9. charge — in control
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. fall — to drop
  12. firm — a company
  13. spell — magic
  14. season — in sport
  15. spell — a short time
  16. spell — letters
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. charge — electricity
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — a weight
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. charge — a price

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