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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. firm — steady
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. firm — decided
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fine — high quality
  7. firm — a company
  8. content — happy
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. tube — a container
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. tube — the underground
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. stand — to bear
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. content — the amount

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