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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. charge — a price
  5. press — a publisher
  6. pit — in a race
  7. cold — an illness
  8. firm — a company
  9. press — newspapers
  10. ball — a great time
  11. firm — steady
  12. stand — to bear
  13. charge — in control
  14. firm — decided
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. ball — a dance
  17. press — to push
  18. cold — not warm
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pit — a hole
  21. spell — magic
  22. spell — letters
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. charge — electricity

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