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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. content — happy
  3. content — the amount
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. court — for sport
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. firm — decided
  11. court — of law
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. firm — steady
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. court — of a king
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. firm — a company
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — in a race
  23. mine — for digging
  24. stand — to bear

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