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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. club — for golf
  3. chest — of your body
  4. mark — a grade
  5. lie — to recline
  6. degree — an amount
  7. chest — a box
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. degree — from a university
  11. degree — temperature
  12. charge — in control
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. chest — of your body
  15. firm — steady
  16. charge — electricity
  17. club — a group
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. club — for dancing
  20. charge — a price
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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