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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bear — the animal
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. pit — a hole
  10. firm — decided
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. firm — a company
  16. bear — the animal
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — to bear
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. wake — a trail
  21. firm — steady
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bear — to put up with

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