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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 120 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. spell — magic
  4. cap — of ice
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. firm — steady
  7. spring — of water
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fine — all right
  10. rash — a series
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. rash — hasty
  14. firm — a company
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. firm — decided
  17. spell — letters
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. spring — the season
  20. cap — a hat
  21. spring — a coil
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. spell — a short time
  24. fine — high quality

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