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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. dip — to sink
  3. court — for sport
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. spring — a coil
  6. race — humankind
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. stand — to bear
  9. court — of law
  10. track — to keep track
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. track — a path
  13. wake — a trail
  14. race — the arms race
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. track — a song
  17. race — a contest
  18. spring — of water
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. spring — the season
  22. court — of a king
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. stand — on your feet

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