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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. mug — a face
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — a company
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mug — a cup
  7. present — there
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chest — of your body
  10. chest — a box
  11. firm — steady
  12. cell — in biology
  13. mug — to rob
  14. present — the time now
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. bulb — for light
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. cell — a phone
  23. firm — decided
  24. present — a gift

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