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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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. firm — a company
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. firm — decided
  7. net — in sport
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. ground — a position
  11. fine — all right
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stand — to bear
  14. squash — the sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. squash — to crush
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. fine — high quality
  19. toast — bread
  20. net — after costs
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. ground — the earth
  23. firm — steady
  24. leaves — to go away

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