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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  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. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. capital — money
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. content — the amount
  8. capital — a city
  9. hand — in cards
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. content — happy
  15. hand — help
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chair — a leader
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. capital — a big letter
  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