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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 smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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. stand — for spectators
  3. race — a contest
  4. last — finally
  5. content — the amount
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. roll — a cake
  12. last — final
  13. wake — a trail
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. race — the arms race
  16. roll — a list
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. race — humankind
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. last — to go on
  22. content — happy
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. stand — to bear

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