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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. firm — steady
  5. content — happy
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. content — the amount
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. stand — to bear
  14. firm — a company
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. fork — in a road
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bass — low music
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. firm — decided
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bass — the instrument

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