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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 116 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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. tube — the underground
  3. firm — steady
  4. tube — a container
  5. stand — to bear
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — completely
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. spring — the season
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. firm — decided
  16. dip — to sink
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. spring — a coil
  19. spring — of water
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. firm — a company
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. pass — a permit

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