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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. wake — a trail
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. ground — the earth
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — the most important part
  14. firm — a company
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. key — in music
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — decided
  22. pit — in a race
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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