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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. stand — to bear
  3. scale — size or range
  4. firm — steady
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rule — a law
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. firm — a company
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. court — for sport
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. firm — decided
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. court — of a king
  16. rule — government
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. pass — a permit
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — a grade
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. scale — in music

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