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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'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  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. firm — steady
  2. fine — all right
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. firm — a company
  6. pit — a hole
  7. firm — decided
  8. fall — the season
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. craft — a skill
  11. field — for sport
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. fine — high quality
  14. scale — in music
  15. pit — in a race
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fall — to drop
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fall — to drop
  20. field — a subject
  21. scale — size or range
  22. field — farmland
  23. craft — boats
  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