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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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. content — happy
  3. firm — steady
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. firm — decided
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. mine — for digging
  10. content — the amount
  11. press — newspapers
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. press — a publisher
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. craft — boats
  19. press — to push
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. craft — a skill
  22. firm — a company
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mine — an explosive

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