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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. row — to paddle
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. saw — the tool
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. ball — a great time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. ball — a dance
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. firm — steady
  14. present — there
  15. row — a line
  16. stand — to bear
  17. content — happy
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. firm — decided
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. present — the time now
  22. content — the amount
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. present — a gift

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