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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — music
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mark — a grade
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. pop — to visit
  12. fine — all right
  13. firm — decided
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. firm — steady
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. firm — a company
  20. foot — a measure
  21. mark — a trace
  22. stand — to bear
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. stand — on your feet

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