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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 116 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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. stand — to bear
  3. firm — a company
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. bear — the animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pit — a hole
  10. object — an aim
  11. bear — the animal
  12. mine — for digging
  13. object — a thing
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. club — for golf
  19. firm — steady
  20. club — a group
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. firm — decided
  24. object — to protest

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