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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. mark — a trace
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. land — to come down
  6. mark — a grade
  7. firm — decided
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. toast — bread
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. firm — a company
  12. lie — to recline
  13. land — a country
  14. shower — to wash
  15. land — ground
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. firm — steady
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. shower — rain

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