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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. last — finally
  3. squash — to crush
  4. last — final
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. charge — a price
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. squash — the sport
  10. current — of water
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. content — happy
  13. present — a gift
  14. last — to go on
  15. charge — electricity
  16. present — the time now
  17. content — the amount
  18. firm — decided
  19. current — happening now
  20. firm — a company
  21. present — there
  22. firm — steady
  23. charge — in control
  24. current — electric

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