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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. drill — army training
  3. sharp — clever
  4. lie — to recline
  5. content — the amount
  6. mate — to breed
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. content — happy
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. drill — the tool
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mate — a partner
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. stand — to bear
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. firm — a company
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. firm — steady
  23. mate — a friend
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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