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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 120 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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spell — letters
  3. land — a country
  4. capital — a city
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. firm — steady
  7. land — ground
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. capital — money
  10. spell — magic
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. fine — high quality
  14. spell — a short time
  15. firm — decided
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. fine — all right
  18. firm — a company
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. land — to come down

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