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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. firm — a company
  3. content — the amount
  4. firm — steady
  5. pit — in a race
  6. spring — the season
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. stand — to bear
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. season — in sport
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. season — of the year
  20. firm — decided
  21. pit — a hole
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. content — happy

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