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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. stand — to bear
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. court — for sport
  5. court — of law
  6. suit — in cards
  7. scale — in music
  8. shower — rain
  9. court — of a king
  10. bound — obliged
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. bound — certain
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. firm — a company
  15. firm — steady
  16. prune — to trim
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bound — tied together
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. suit — clothes
  21. shower — to wash
  22. prune — to trim
  23. scale — size or range
  24. firm — decided

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